Pressemitteilung der illbruck Challenge am 21. Tag der 4. Etappe des Volvo Ocean Race
16. Februar 2002
„illbruck“ verteidigt Führung eisern
Die ersten fünf Boote liegen nach drei Wochen innerhalb von 51 Seemeilen.
Rio de Janeiro – Drei Wochen sind sie auf hoher See unterwegs, mehr als
6.000 Seemeilen liegen hinter ihnen. Und doch trennen die ersten fünf
Yachten auf der vierten Etappe des Volvo Ocean Race nur ganze 51
Seemeilen. Gut 600 Seemeilen vor dem Ziel in Rio de Janeiro verteidigte
die Leverkusener „illbruck“ unter Skipper John Kostecki mit dem Münchner
Vorschiffsmann Tony Kolb an Bord ihre zusammengeschmolzene Führung eisern.
Zweiter war am Sonnabend Mittag die „Tyco“ (Bermuda), nur noch 35
Seemeilen zurück, vor der „Amer Sports One“ (Finnland/Italien/40). Es
folgten die „Assa Abloy“ (Schweden/48) und die norwegische „djuice“ (51)
dicht auf. Der erwartete Zieleinlauf ist auf Montag Nachmittag vorgerückt.
illbruck Challenge-Meteorologe Chris Bedford hatte das Szenario
vorhergesagt: Durch eine neue Wetterfront mit frischem Wind von hinten
gelang es den Verfolgern der „illbruck“ in der Nacht von Freitag auf
Sonnabend, viel Boden gutzumachen. Der zeitweise mehr als 100 Seemeilen
große Vorsprung des deutschen Boots halbierte sich und schrumpfte weiter.
Doch mit einigen taktischen Halsen gelang es der Mannschaft am Sonnabend
Vormittag, selbst in die frischere Brise zu gelangen und die Situation
wieder unter Kontrolle zu kriegen. Alle Konkurrenten lagen mehr oder
weniger im Kielwasser und dürften es kurzfristig schwer haben, eine
Überholspur zu finden und nach vorne auszubrechen.
Entscheidend für den Ausgang der zweitlängsten und vielleicht härtesten
Etappe des Rennens werden aber aller Voraussicht nach die Bedingungen auf
den letzten Seemeilen vor Rio de Janeiro werden. Das Revier gilt im
Hochsommer als ausgesprochen trickreich mit oft schwachen, in jedem Fall
aber variablen Winden. So die „illbruck“ auch kurz vor Schluss wieder als
Erste in die leichteren Winde hineingerät, könnte es ein spannendes
Herzschlagfinale unterm Zuckerhut geben. Nachdem die schwedische „SEB“ die
Etappe nach ihrem Mastbruch aufgegeben hat und per Frachter nach Rio
gebracht werden soll, kämpfen die Frauen der „Amer Sports Too“ am Ende des Felds tapfer gegen „News Corp“ (Australien), die nach einem Ruderbruch zwar langsamer ist, aber noch rund 300 Seemeilen Vorsprung auf dem sechsten Rang hat.
Weitere Informationen:
Andreas Kling
Tel: 0055/21/9924-1895
akling@illbruck-Challenge.com
http://media.illbruck-Challenge.de
http://www.illbruck.com
Southampton, England, February 16, 2002 Day 21
Turning the heat up
The heat is on in the Volvo Ocean Race in more ways than one.
Concentration, analysis and making the right moves, is paramount and the
navigators and tacticians are working overtime, to make sure that they do
not let the rest of the team down. As the boats head north towards Rio
de Janeiro air and water temperatures are improving by the hour. Right
now most of the boats are in temperatures nearing 30 degrees Celsius,
which are no doubt a very welcome change from the freezing conditions they
were working in last week.
For News Corp right now, times are extremely tough. They are sailing a
balancing act between pushing the boat hard enough and not letting Amer
Sports Too through and keeping their temporary steering working
efficiently without putting it under undue pressure, which could cause
further problems for them. In addition to the difficulties they are
facing just sailing the boat, the afterguard has to keep the boat in the
correct part of the racetrack to not make any further losses. Ross Field,
co skipper, wrote, “It’s frustrating and we constantly have to check
ourselves from pushing too hard. If the emergency steering breaks we
would be ‘up the creek without a paddle'. The helmsman has to sit on the
cockpit floor holding onto a long tiller. It’s hard work and they only
last half an hour at a time. We’re working on the boat during the day to
shorten the work list in Rio. We are monitoring the progress of Amer
Sports Too - at present we look safe from her.” At the same time that
they are working on the boat, they are compiling job lists for the shore
team to get straight into, when the boat arrives at the finish, “Our spare
rudder, which has been stored in England, is now on its way to Rio and
will only take a few hours to fit. We have prepared full work lists for
our boat builder, riggers and other shore crew who are waiting in Rio.
Kevin Shoebridge from Tyco, who are desperately defending their second
position, wind direction was the index thought in their minds to catch
illbruck, “The latest sked is in and the fleet keeps getting closer.
illbruck has taken the biggest losses, losing some 50 miles today. We are
losing a couple each sked so now Amer Sports One, djuice and ASSA ABLOY
are all within 10 miles. Very tricky racecourse with very uneven pressure
across it. We are all starting to gybe and pick our position for the long
starboard [tack] towards Rio. There’s one thing for sure the first five
boats will all be arriving very close together, amazing when you consider
we have sailed 6000 miles already. It’s strange how a six-hourly position
report and a little thing called wind direction can totally rule your
life, is that normal?”
The Brazilian Current and water temperatures were filling up the tactical
minds on djuice, “The Brazilian Current is a tricky one. I remember so
well four years ago when we insisted a little on a gybe to avoid the
current and ended up with even stronger current against us. The fact is
that the hot water is running south in this area. To avoid it, you have to
be pretty far east, so we believe it's more a matter of more or less
against you. At the moment we have about one knot against us, which we can
live with. The water temperature is still 22 degrees, which means we
haven't entered into the real hot flow, which should raise the water
temperature to at least 24 degrees Celsius. If we assume that we all are
in unfavourable current, what is left to make a difference is the wind and
pure boat speed. That’s what I believe this will come down to”, wrote Knut
Frostad.
ASSA ABLOY’s navigator Mark Rudiger was a little concerned that he was
hoping for an easier time in the final stretch into Rio. There was no
chance to catch up on any sleep though, “Since we all pretty much picked
our slots and are running on the favoured gybe, there aren’t a lot of
options strategically, and I felt it was a good time to catch up on some
sleep and chill out a little. But wait, the last two skeds have shown
there is plenty on still. illbruck second-guessed incorrectly how we would
all gybe and has lost huge bearing to Tyco and ASSA ABLOY. Likewise Amer
Sports One second-guessed and lost to djuice and us.” He finished on a
more philosophical note, “Everyone should be proud of the accomplishment,
winning just always makes it that more sweeter.”
Paul Cayard on Amer Sports One was also watching wind direction like a
hawk, “Just now as I am typing, the wind is lifting a bit and that is a
worry. It comes and goes, puffs in and out. Kind of like trade wind
sailing.” He was also anticipating a tight finish, “After last night’s
unfortunate rudder failure onboard News Corp, there are four yachts all
within 15 miles of each other with illbruck sprung out in front, probably
only vulnerable to a complete shut off of the wind in front of Rio. For
Amer Sports One, ASSA ABLOY, Tyco and djuice, the last 24 hours of this
look to be decisive so it will be a very intense time.”
On Amer Sports Too the increase in air temperature was giving added
problems, “I have learned a new word this leg - and the meaning of....
chilblains. Having got used to numb cold feet and hands for so long, the
stinging, achy and sore sensations of the thaw are proving very
uncomfortable for this crew. Hopefully within a few days the aches and
pains will go and we will all acclimatise to our new surrounds,” wrote
Lisa McDonald.
Southampton, England, February 16, 2002 2200 GMT
Battle royal to finish
A pack of eager V.O.60s are now in hot pursuit of race leader illbruck.
Once again she has lost distance to the trailing boats since the last sked
six hours ago. The boats are all anticipating a very tight finish in Rio
and all John Kostecki and the crew of illbruck can do, is keep pressing on
and try to stay ahead.
Amer Sports One has set up in the ‘eastern lane’ as Paul Cayard put it
earlier, in the hope that the western boats, ASSA ABLOY, djuice and Tyco
will have more adverse Brazilian Current against them for the next 50
hours or so. Their reckoning was that this should offset any windshift
advantage predicted to help Tyco more as the leeward boat.
Amer Sports Too is fervently pursuing News Corp, who is under jury
steering after losing her rudder two days ago. The distance between them
has closed another 73 miles in the last six hours.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 21, 2159 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 30 38.40S 045 41.16W 00483 018 11.4 265 0 0 18 FEB 02 29
2 TYCO 30 54.76S 046 31.32W 00513 023 11.9 282 30 -3 18 FEB 02 19
3 AONE 31 16.36S 045 19.52W 00515 015 11.4 285 32 -2 18 FEB 02 24
4 AART 31 11.96S 046 28.60W 00528 024 11.5 276 45 -3 18 FEB 02 20
5 DJCE 31 21.24S 046 17.12W 00533 026 11.1 266 50 1 18 FEB 02 14
6 NEWS 34 46.04S 047 50.24W 00753 035 08.6 209 270 +17 20 FEB 02 19
7 ATOO 37 38.00S 052 46.68W 01013 040 11.3 265 530 -1 20 FEB 02 7
8 TSEB 53 10.16S 070 54.40W - - - - - - - -
Southampton, England, February 16, 2002 1600 GMT
Bated breath and nervous moments
The leading boats in the Volvo Ocean Race wait with bated breath for each
sked that is issued to the fleet every six hours. Amer Sports One is no
doubt waiting anxiously for the most recent sked, which shows that she is
still just behind Tyco, but only just. These positions, however, have
been constantly swapping over the six hours, as there is such a small
distance between the two boats. For illbruck there will be nervous
moments over the next couple of days, while they try and indextain enough
distance to hit the finish line in Rio in front.
ASSA ABLOY and djuice are also very close together and will be waiting for
each sked, to analyse their official gains or losses. The wind is
forecast to slowly back into the southeast, then to move further into the
east and ease as the fleet nears Rio. The end result could easily be
dependent on how long it takes this change to take effect.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 21, 1558 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 31 43.32S 046 05.36W 00551 029 11.3 264 0 0 18 FEB 02 29
2 TYCO 31 59.96S 047 04.24W 00584 028 11.5 288 33 -2 18 FEB 02 19
3 AONE 32 24.00S 045 40.56W 00585 025 12.6 293 34 -6 18 FEB 02 24
4 AART 32 16.68S 047 02.24W 00599 032 11.5 288 48 0 18 FEB 02 20
5 DJCE 32 20.84S 046 51.76W 00600 027 11.5 282 49 -2 18 FEB 02 14
6 NEWS 35 28.96S 048 27.24W 00804 040 07.6 218 253 25 20 FEB 02 19
7 ATOO 38 31.04S 053 43.20W 01082 042 11.5 267 531 0 20 FEB 02 7
8 TSEB 53 10.16S 070 54.40W - - - - - - - -
Southampton, England, February 16, 2002 1000 GMT
Hunting The Wounded
In the current situation, Amer Sports Too is slightly off the pace to
overtake News Corp. If the wind stays with News Corp, the odds are
slightly against the girls to claim that extra point as the wounded News
Corp might just make it to the save haven before being hunted down.
In front the situation has settled, all five yachts are back on starboard
tack as the wind has backed to the south. This must give illbruck some
comfort as they have a better cover on the fleet now. Djuice is sailing
straight in their wake about 50 miles behind and Tyco and ASSA ABLOY
slightly left of the track. Amer Sports One has the biggest separation,
but illbruck is not far off their direct course to the finish in Rio.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 20, 1000 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 32 41.88S 046 43.96W 00617 037 10.6 264 0 +0 18 FEB 02 29
2 TYCO 33 00.80S 047 42.36W 00652 030 10.9 303 35 -5 18 FEB 02 19
3 AONE 33 30.64S 046 16.88W 00657 038 12.4 310 40 -9 18 FEB 02 24
4 AART 33 13.44S 047 44.04W 00665 035 11.9 312 48 -9 18 FEB 02 20
5 DJCE 33 21.68S 047 29.36W 00668 033 11.4 311 51 -7 18 FEB 02 14
6 NEWS 36 02.36S 049 01.88W 00845 038 08.5 226 228 +10 19 FEB 02 19
7 ATOO 39 20.72S 054 40.44W 01148 009 10.2 276 531 +5 20 FEB 02 7
8 TSEB 53 10.16S 070 54.40W - - - - - - - -
Southampton, England, February 16, 2002 0400 GMT
Illbruck Back In Control
As the first five yachts are getting more and more compressed by the
prevailing wind conditions, the demands on the crews are getting
tremendous. Knut Frostad, skipper on djuice believes, that the finish will
come down to pure boat speed and has put people and equipment in place to
be ready for it. Having said so, they had to surrender the two places they
gained the previous sked.
Several gybes from illbruck for the best possible angle could slow the
progress that Tyco and Amer Sports One made on them. On ASSA ABLOY and
djuice, the distance even increased. This new development will please John
Kostecki’s crew on illbruck, but will make the hunting crews even work
harder.
Amer Sports Too sliced off another 17 miles from News Corps lead, just
about the amount they need to in a six hour period to reach for sixth
place.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 20, 0358 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 33 33.96S 047 30.52W 00679 004 12.0 293 0 +0 18 FEB 02 29
2 TYCO 33 58.60S 048 22.08W 00719 035 12.8 334 40 -5 18 FEB 02 19
3 AONE 34 30.20S 047 12.88W 00728 011 11.9 335 49 -3 18 FEB 02 24
4 AART 34 13.04S 048 33.96W 00736 018 11.4 346 57 +1 18 FEB 02 20
5 DJCE 34 20.60S 048 15.28W 00737 355 11.8 352 58 +6 18 FEB 02 14
6 NEWS 36 44.44S 049 43.44W 00897 046 10.2 234 218 +12 19 FEB 02 19
7 ATOO 40 22.24S 054 53.32W 01205 011 13.1 299 526 -5 20 FEB 02 7
8 TSEB 53 10.16S 070 54.40W 02464 000 00.0 101 1785 +69 27 FEB 02 12
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