illbruck
Pressemitteilung der illbruck Challenge am 17. Tag der 4. Etappe des Volvo Ocean Race
18. Tag der 4. Etappe des Volvo Ocean Race
13. Februar 2002
Das Rennen wird ein Zweikampf
„illbruck“ im Westen 55 Seemeilen vor „Amer Sports One“ im Osten
Rio de Janeiro – Die pulsierende Metropole unterm Zuckerhut erwachte am
Mittwoch langsamer als gewohnt. Die brasilianische Nacht des Karnevals
hatte in Rio de Janeiro ihre Spuren hinterlassen. Doch nun laufen die
Vorbereitungen auf die Ankunft der acht Hochseeyachten des Volvo Ocean
Race, die auf ihrer vierten Etappe von Auckland/Neuseeland nach neusten
Hochrechnungen am Montag Abend (18. Februar) im Zielhafen ankommen sollen.
Als erste könnte die Leverkusener „illbruck“ das letzte Stück entlang der
Copacabana gesegelt kommen. 55 Seemeilen Vorsprung vor der „Amer Sports
One“ (Finnland/Italien) hatte die Mannschaft unter Skipper John Kostecki
mit dem Münchener Tony Kolb an Bord am Mittwoch Mittag. Die Verfolger
fielen weiter zurück; das härteste Rennen rund um die Welt scheint ein
Zweikampf zu werden.
„Noch ist die Vorentscheidung nicht gefallen“, warnte illbruck
Challenge-Meteorologe Chris Bedford, „ich erwarte für Donnerstag zunächst
eine Winddrehung und später eine Zunahme von Süden her, die Vorteile für
die östlich gelegenen Boote bringt.“ Die „illbruck“ könnte in schwächerem
Druck gezwungen werden, die derzeit gute Position, aus der die „Amer
Sports One“ kontrolliert wird, für eine Zeit aufzugeben, und eine
Überholspur im Osten zu öffnen. Allerdings spreche die Langfristvorhersage wieder für die westliche Route des deutschen Boots. Die beiden Führenden in der Gesamtwertung liegen auch an der Spitze der vierten Etappe, jedoch seitlich so weit auseinander, dass unterschiedliche Windbedingungen herrschen können. Ein Abdecken des nachfolgenden Boots ist so nur bedingt möglich.
Indes scheint der Rest des Felds nur noch um „Bronze“ kämpfen zu können.
Die „Tyco“ (Bermudas), in der Spur der „illbruck“ 79 Seemeilen zurück,
wird von der norwegischen „djuice“ (89 sm) attackiert, die hinter der
„Amer“ im Osten liegt. Die Gesamtdritte „News Corp“ (Australien/100) und
die Gewinnerin der dritten Etappe von Sydney nach Auckland, „Assa Abloy“
(Schweden/103) müssen rund 1.500 Seemeilen vor dem Ziel schon auf einen
gravierenden Wetterumschwung hoffen, um noch vorne mit eingreifen zu
können. Während die Frauen der „Amer Sports Too“ zwei Tage später im Ziel
erwartet werden, nähert sich die „SEB“ (Schweden) nach einem Mastbruch der südamerikanischen Küste, wo sie am Wochenende eintreffen dürfte. Mit einem Ersatzmast soll sie dann rechtzeitig zum Start der fünften Etappe nach Rio gebracht werden.
Weitere Informationen:
Andreas Kling
akling@illbruck-Challenge.com
http://media.illbruck-Challenge.de
http://www.illbruck.com
Southampton, England, February 13, 2002 Day 18
For Mums everywhere….
For each of those sailing on the Volvo Ocean Race a day in the office is
full of tasks that could all be included under a heading of monotonous
daily chores. These chores, however, do not include putting the rubbish
out for the bin men, collecting the daily newspaper and reading the mail,
but are more tacking, stacking and moving gear to the windward side,
hoisting and dropping sails and just generally keeping the ‘engine’
[sails] of the boat moving as efficiently as possible. The tasks are
varied, with each crew selected to work in an area where their specialist
talents are needed.
There can be the unexpected moments when events need to be dealt with in a
hurry and even the off watch teams are required on deck for sail handling,
which can intrude on ‘private’ time below decks. Of course there are
also the hours and hours of planning for the next stage of the overall
strategy with weather, current and computer analysis. In between, time
needs to be set aside for eating and sleeping and there is very little
time for thoughts to dwell on loved ones and friends at home
Lisa McDonald’s mother has been watching two boats’ progress; her
daughter, as skipper on Amer Sports Too and her son in law, Neal McDonald,
the skipper on ASSA ABLOY. She wrote down her thoughts of the pride and
elation, mixed with the apprehension of having two of her family on the
Volvo Ocean Race, “This time around, I have not one, but two to watch and
be anxious for – my son-in-law being the second. Both have the awesome
responsibility of the well being of the boat, the crew and the challenge
of doing well. There are not words to express the pride I feel in their
accomplishments, endurance and in the strength to make their dreams come
true.” No doubt she followed Neal’s swim yesterday very closely.
For the family at home though, the limited contact they have with their
loved ones on the race, is indexly through a computer. This can be via
email direct to the boat or constant logging onto the Volvo Ocean Race
website (www.volvooceanrace.org) to see the latest position report, hear
the latest comments from the boat about life onboard and to live every
moment with them in anticipation of the boat’s next manoeuvre,
experiencing the same hopes for the gains that the crew are agonising over
at the same time.
Then there are the dangers, which are much easier to experience first
hand; the sailors know exactly what is going on, those ashore can only
imagine. Family and friends can read about it, watch it on television or
hear it on the radio and then will inevitably worry about their nearest
and dearest. Occasionally, they can speak to the boat via satellite
telephone but the worries are still there for every gale forecast or every
report of more icebergs and inhospitable conditions. Lisa’s mother
continued, “For me, the hardest part of this race is that my child is in
it and I am strapped to the computer following her journey. There is of
course excitement – the spectacular extreme sailing, the competitiveness,
watching each leg as it unfolds... and there are times of apprehension...
Thank God for technology and virtual imaging! It’s both a blessing and a
curse – it provides a connectiveness to what’s going on, but with every
visit to the web, the actuality makes the dangers and hardships of this
race more undeniable.”
She tunes into the website several times a day for the latest updates and
finished her message with a personal touch to the two sailors themselves,
“To Lisa, to Neal and especially to all of the girls on Amer Sports Too
-- I am proud -- as I know your families are -- of your determination and
perseverance. Let it inspire others to reach the potential God gave them!”
For the sailors, their precious private thought time does sometimes drift
towards home and family. Often when they are writing crew emails for the
website or at times in their bunks when they are off watch. djuice
toasted friends and family at Cape Horn with a 5cl bottle of cognac, a
capful each. For Stig Westergaard on djuice the Volvo Ocean Race had
given him a special personal milestone with his father, “The Horn also
represents some childhood dreams as my father always stated that one could
only put one foot per Cape on the couch table after rounding one. So now
that I have made them both, the Hope and the Horn I can rest my feet on
the table with peace of mind.”
On Amer Sports One, Paul Cayard’s thought drifted to his wife when he was
struggling to get some sleep, “Guess I finally got so tired I could sleep
in these bunks. They are the worst I have ever seen. I sleep overlapped
with [Grant] Dalton or Bouwe Bekking, feet to feet, in a fixed angle bunk
with water dripping down the sidewalls of the tanks. The conditions are a
bit different from my bed in Kentfield and even then I can’t sleep if I am
touching my wife. At this point, I am looking forward to having that
problem.”
Gurra Krantz wrote of a conversation he had earlier this leg with his six
year old daughter via the satphone, “I mean, what do you do? At least she
could have pretended she cared more about me than the race and the
boat...” when she demanded to know why SEB had lost places to the fleet.
Ross Field added in a ps to a crew email that he hoped term time was going
to start well for his eldest granddaughter aged 7, “ps: I hope Ella had a
good first week back at school”. Ella is one of three grandchildren to
occupy Ross’ mind, with Jamie 4 and Rose, 18 months. For Nicholas White
on News Corp, he was dreaming of a proper bed again, “A warm bed is only
one of the things I will be looking forward to in Rio.”
Kevin Shoebridge’s thoughts on Tyco were more looking ahead to the finish
in Rio, “Our boat is in remarkably good condition, considering what it’s
been put through. I would imagine the others are also; the level of
preparation has stepped up along with the intenseness of the racing. Some
sail damage but not a lot else, needless to say there will be an extensive
check over going on in Rio before the next leg.”
Southampton, England, February 13, 2002 1600 GMT
Fast To The Barn
One of the most interesting weather scenarios has caught up with the fleet over the last few hours. A front has positioned itself right in the middle of the fleet, providing the yachts with different wind directions and forcing them to head off in different directions, regardless of whether they want to or not.
Amer Sports One and illbruck are sailing ahead of the front, still in the
north-north-westerly breeze on a northeasterly course with the sails
sheeted hard in on starboard. As soon as the front goes through, the wind
eases off for a short time, then swings to the southwest and picks up to
the mid 20s. News Corp in the west was the first yacht to gain from the
wind shift, but the wind direction forced them to sail a northerly course
for the fastest angle. ASSA ABLOY, just 35 miles to the east, had to wait
for two and a half hours longer to gain from this shift, as did Tyco and
djuice.
Illbruck will have to take a close look at the scenario, as the split
implies the danger of the separation giving the other yachts the chance to sail around them. Over the next few days, one of the key objectives of all navigators will be to position their yachts for the showdown into Rio. And as Paul Cayard put it: “The horses always run faster on the way back to the barn.”
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 18, 1554 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 45 11.44S 052 19.08W 01410 042 12.6 296 0 +0 19 FEB 02 29
2 AONE 46 38.68S 051 14.24W 01477 031 10.1 272 67 +12 19 FEB 02 25
3 TYCO 46 13.48S 053 44.16W 01490 023 11.7 270 80 +1 19 FEB 02 18
4 NEWS 45 57.48S 055 33.76W 01509 009 13.0 261 99 -1 19 FEB 02 21
5 AART 46 22.24S 054 26.84W 01510 013 12.5 268 100 -3 19 FEB 02 19
6 DJCE 47 19.44S 050 57.88W 01512 036 10.1 276 102 +13 19 FEB 02 13
7 ATOO 51 52.48S 062 30.72W 01954 028 14.7 268 544 -16 21 FEB 02 7
8 TSEB 54 38.24S 077 35.36W 02614 088 07.8 175 1204 +26 01 MAR 02 12
Southampton, England, February 13, 2002 1000 GMT
Lull before bigger winds
illbruck in the west, Amer Sports One and djuice in the east are all
hanging on to around 18 knots of wind to keeping them moving towards the
finish in Rio de Janeiro. Not so fortunate are News Corp, Tyco and ASSA
ABLOY, who have slowed down with almost 10 knots less wind while they wait
for the front, which is expected later bringing with it stronger breezes.
The Volvo Ocean Race fleet are now all able to take advantage of the
Falklands Current helping to push them to the north, which will stay with
them until they reach latitude around 40 degrees south.
Amer Sports Too is now approaching the Falkland Islands at around 14 knots
boatspeed.
The Volvo Ocean Race Online
Join our LIVE Chat with Jez Fanstone, skipper of Team News Corp TODAY at
1400 GMT, on http://www.VolvoOceanRace.org.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 18, 0958 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 46 05.36S 053 28.92W 01479 050 12.2 297 0 0 19 FEB 02 29
2 AONE 47 28.92S 051 58.72W 01534 035 10.5 284 55 +5 19 FEB 02 25
3 TYCO 47 15.84S 054 22.44W 01558 043 09.9 287 79 +10 19 FEB 02 18
4 DJCE 48 07.04S 051 48.76W 01568 039 10.3 287 89 +8 19 FEB 02 15
5 NEWS 47 10.92S 055 50.16W 01579 036 09.1 269 100 +12 19 FEB 02 20
6 AART 47 33.16S 054 50.36W 01582 049 10.0 289 103 +12 19 FEB 02 18
7 ATOO 53 07.72S 063 37.36W 02039 025 09.5 257 560 +10 21 FEB 02 7
8 TSEB 54 40.20S 078 53.16W 02657 068 07.7 164 1178 +30 01 MAR 02 12
Southampton, England, February 13, 2002 0400 GMT
More gales forecast
With winds forecast to touch gale force conditions again later today, the
V.O.60s will continue to face wet and windy conditions. Initially the
gains were for Amer Sports One and djuice to the east, then illbruck,
Tyco, News Corp and ASSA ABLOY took a small gain back; now it appears that
the gains could come for the boats in the east again.
This is all due to the tricky and fast changing weather patterns due over
the next few days and these gains and losses leave the boats fighting hard
to take just that extra mile on each other, as the fleet reindexs so close
together. It will be a few days yet before it will be clear as to
whether the inshore or offshore route has paid.
Amer Sports Too spent almost four hours with very little wind after
rounding Cape Horn yesterday, but is now sailing along at around 10 knots.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 18, 0358 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 46 55.08S 054 53.52W 01548 044 11.3 299 0 0 19 FEB 02 29
2 AONE 48 23.40S 052 55.40W 01598 037 11.7 287 50 -3 19 FEB 02 25
3 TYCO 48 01.52S 055 25.92W 01617 045 10.9 298 69 +2 19 FEB 02 18
4 DJCE 48 57.48S 052 49.68W 01629 039 12.2 297 81 -5 19 FEB 02 15
5 NEWS 47 57.24S 056 39.80W 01636 031 10.6 286 88 +1 19 FEB 02 20
6 AART 48 14.60S 056 01.20W 01639 049 11.4 302 91 +1 19 FEB 02 18
7 ATOO 54 02.12S 064 20.08W 02098 031 07.5 253 550 +19 21 FEB 02 7
8 TSEB 54 58.12S 080 11.32W 02696 072 07.3 152 1148 +27 01 MAR 02 12
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