Pressemitteilung der illbruck Challenge vom 6. Tag der 7. Etappe des Volvo
Ocean Race
3. Mai 2002
„illbruck“ in der Ruhe vor dem Sturm
Sturmtief braut sich über Neufundland zusammen / Führung mit 19 Seemeilen
vor „Assa Abloy“
Über den eisbedeckten Felsen von Neufundland baut sich derzeit ein
kräftiges Tiefdruckgebiet auf, dass zum Wochenende mit seinen windreichen
Ausläufern die Hochseesegler beim Volvo Ocean Race treffen soll. Auf der
siebten Etappe von Annapolis/USA nach La Rochelle/Frankreich hatten sie am
Freitag knapp die Hälfte der 3.450 Seemeilen langen Strecke zurückgelegt
und warteten in der Ruhe auf den Sturm. Die führende Leverkusener
„illbruck“ hatte 19 Seemeilen vor der „Assa Abloy“ (Schweden), die auch
härteste Verfolgerin in der Gesamtwertung ist, nach Verlassen der
Eisgrenze am 40. Breitengrad einen nordnordöstlichen Kurs eingeschlagen,
um die „Windmaschine“ ja nicht zu verpassen. Neun Beaufort mit schweren
Sturmböen sind vorhergesagt.
„Ich kann es kaum erwarten, wieder rekordverdächtige Geschwindigkeiten zu
erreichen“, schrieb Wachführer Mark Christensen in einer Email von Bord,
„allerdings glaube ich manchmal schon, dass ich allmählich zu alt bin für
dieses Rennen.“ Mindestens alle drei bis vier Stunden gebe es einen
Segelwechsel, für den acht Crewmitglieder erforderlich seien. So bekomme
derzeit niemand genügend Schlaf. „Meine Frau bittet mich immer, so schnell
wie möglich anzukommen“, erzählt Christensen weiter, „aber ich glaube, die
kann sich gar nicht richtig vorstellen, wie anstrengend das eigentlich
ist.“
Auch am Freitag blieb ihm wenig Erholung. Denn obwohl der Wind abgenommen
hatte, war er sehr wechselhaft, zeitweise zum Kreuzen gegen eine östliche
Brise, und somit wieder mit vielen Manövern verbunden. An der Spitze
wechselten die Abstände kaum. Die „Tyco“ (Bermudas) folgte 24 Seemeilen
hinter dem deutschen Boot auf Rang drei. Dicht zusammengerückt waren die
weiteren Verfolger. „SEB“ (Schweden/43 sm) wurde von „News Corp“
(Australien/44) und „Amer Sports One“ (Finnland/Italien), einen weitere
Seemeile zurück, bedrängt.
Nach dem Mastbruch der Frauen bildet die „djuice“ (Norwegen/58) jetzt das
Schlusslicht. Der „Amer Sports Too“ wurde wegen des aufziehenden Sturms
aus Halifax/Kanada der Rettungskreuzer „Edward Cornwallis“
entgegengeschickt. Er soll das Frauenboot, das sich unter Notrigg nur
bedingt manövrieren lässt, im Notfall begleiten oder in die noch 150
Seemeilen entfernte Hafenstadt auf Neuschottland schleppen, von wo aus sie
mit einem Frachter nach Frankreich gebracht werden soll.
Southampton, England, May 3, 2002 2200 GMT
Race against the Weather for Amer Sport Too
As the weather closes in it is a race against time and weather on the jury
rigged Amer Sports Too, aiming to reach Halifax before being battered from
heavy weather that will severely hamper their progress. The girls
successfully rendezvoused with the vessel ‘Edward Cornwallis’ earlier
today, and they are now being towed towards Halifax, Nova Scotia at eight
knots. They have approximately 35 miles left to travel.
Discussions have taken place between the shipping company Peters and May
and Nautor Challenge to investigate the best method of transporting Amer
Sports Too back to Europe. An Atlantic container vessel ‘The MV Atlantic
Concert’ will call into Halifax and is able to ship the yacht to Antwerp.
The Amer Sports Too shore team are already on route to prepare a full
shipping cradle in readiness for the departure on Monday. The yacht
should arrive in Antwerp on 16 May 2002. The La Rochelle restart is 25
May 2002.
Back on the racing front, whilst no positions have been changing, the
leaders, illbruck, are still making gains on their nearest rivals, whilst
Tyco, in third place has managed to close some distance once more between
herself and second placed ASSA ABLOY. Meanwhile, further back in the
fleet Amer Sports One has lost more miles to all around, having fallen to
16 miles behind the fifth placed News Corp, and djuice is now only three
miles behind.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 6, 2215 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 42 49.00N 041 46.24W 1727 51 13.7 263 0 0 09/05/02 21:58 49
2 AART 42 31.80N 042 13.96W 1752 42 13.5 250 25 +5 10/05/02 00:04 41
3 TYCO 42 26.84N 042 25.56W 1762 44 13.7 245 35 +3 10/05/02 00:53 33
4 TSEB 41 37.84N 042 16.08W 1774 54 13.9 240 47 -4 10/05/02 01:53 26
5 NEWS 41 34.92N 042 20.72W 1779 54 13.4 234 52 0 10/05/02 02:14 35
6 AONE 41 39.04N 042 47.36W 1795 42 11.8 225 68 +14 10/05/02 03:36 35
7 DJCE 41 21.20N 042 41.56W 1798 63 13.9 233 71 -5 10/05/02 03:51 23
8 ATOO 44 04.92N 062 59.92W 4512 316 9.3 198 2785 +80 No Data 10
Southampton, England, May 3, 2002 1600 GMT
Rapid Transat
The leading yachts are positioned half way between New Foundland and the
Azores archipelago, both approximately 500 miles away. Since the last
report a stable southerly breeze has set in, enabling the boats to sail at
a quicker pace. Illbruck, ASSA ABLOY and Tyco have about 20 knots while
SEB, News Corp, and Amer Sports One suffer in five knots less. This
explains the two knots different average speed between the leading and the
trailing group.
Even though they have passed 40 latitude and icebergs are reported not too
far away, the crews sail in comfortable temperatures with just one layer
of thermals.
Amer Sports Too is being towed with an average of seven knots towards
Halifax and should arrive there in around 12 to 15 hours. All are well on
board and the shore team considers putting the yacht on a cargo ship to
Antwerp.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 6, 1554 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 41 55.92N 043 13.92W 1807 43 14.1 243 0 0 09/05/02 22:29 49
2 AART 41 30.28N 043 29.16W 1827 38 14.3 240 20 +1 10/05/02 00:11 41
3 TYCO 41 26.56N 043 44.32W 1839 33 13.8 227 32 +8 10/05/02 01:10 33
4 TSEB 40 47.44N 043 47.68W 1858 49 12.1 230 51 +8 10/05/02 02:41 26
5 NEWS 40 46.48N 043 49.36W 1859 49 12.1 231 52 +8 10/05/02 02:49 35
6 AONE 40 45.16N 043 50.96W 1861 49 11.8 237 54 +9 10/05/02 02:57 35
7 DJCE 40 42.24N 044 21.24W 1883 41 10.8 227 76 +18 10/05/02 04:48 23
8 ATOO 43 23.72N 062 05.72W 4512 316 7.2 175 2705 +77 No Data 10
Southampton, England, May 3, 2002 Day 6
Calm Before The Storm
Having already dealt Amer Sports Too such a cruel blow, the winds are
refusing to smile on the girls as they attempt to reach Halifax under jury
rig. The yacht is 150 nautical miles from Halifax, Nova Scotia and owing
to an imminent deterioration in the forth-coming weather the Joint Rescue
Command in Halifax has sent out the vessel 'Edward Cornwallis' to assist
Amer Sport Too and may tow her into Halifax. They will rendezvous at
approximately 1100 GMT. The forecast for Amer Sports Too is particularly
nasty as they approach land. The local Canadian forecasts give storm
warning for the approach to Halifax with westerly gales this evening
reaching 35-40 knots, possibly 40-50 knots in places. The wind should drop
on Saturday if they have not arrived before then, a very unpleasant end to
the leg.
Lisa McDonald and crew have set a storm jib on the 10m stump of the mast
that reindexs. But they are battling an adverse current - a combination of
the Gulf Stream and the Labrador current which is running at up to three
knots against them - and they are making only five knots over the ground.
The girls have been using their engine to help speed progress towards
Halifax, which they expect to reach sometime late tomorrow. The Nautor
Challenge shore crew have come up with a potential plan for getting the
boat across the Atlantic as soon as possible, with a ship due to depart
Halifax for Antwerp on Monday. Even if this plan comes off, however, it
leaves the team with the logistical nightmare of having to step the new
rig in Antwerp and sail the boat back down to La Rochelle in time for the
restart on 25 May.
Lisa’s husband, ASSA ABLOY skipper Neal McDonald, has sent his own
commiserations to the girls. “Poor Lisa and her team on Amer Sports Too -
after man overboard or fire, losing a mast is about the worst thing to
happen at sea. I hear all the crew are unharmed which is the most
important thing - but what do they do next? I hope they make land
reasonably quickly and get organised for France. I can’t imagine the
disappointment and worry - hope it all works out OK for them.”
But as McDonald points out, the fleet is nearly halfway across to France,
and they must begin to take the fight back to illbruck if they are to
prevent John Kostecki from wrapping up the Volvo Ocean Race with a leg to
spare. After a wobbly last couple of legs, illbruck is proving once again
to be the pacesetter in fast reaching conditions. Even illbruck’s Mark
‘Crusty’ Christensen has been gob smacked by the enormous speeds clocked
up so far. “We have just completed the fourth day and have sailed almost
1500 miles or almost 400 miles a day, every day. At the current rate we
will be in La Rochelle in another six days, 10 days total for a leg that
was expected to take closer to 14.”
Most of the crews have been singing the praises of the weather, and the
fact that the ‘ice box’ restriction zone has prevented them from getting
too cold and miserable. After passing the eastern limit of the ‘icebox’,
illbruck, ASSA ABLOY and Tyco are shooting to higher latitudes on a
north-north-easterly course to position themselves for the low that is
developing over New Foundland. The system promises winds of approximately
40 knots or higher.
As expected the wind went light and variable early this morning swinging
from a comfortable southwesterly to light northeast at under 10 knots.
This at first pushed the yachts towards the south, away from the route
they wanted to follow until it veered to the southeast. As they pass the
eastern edge of the ‘ice box’ they can for the first time this leg, if the
wind allows, head towards the northeast and the finish line.
A ridge of high pressure with a cell centred to the north-west is causing
the light winds and this is likely to be pushed away as the low pressure
building over Nova Scotia moves eastwards. This will create an
acceleration zone squeezing the isobars between the Azores high to the
east and the low to the north.
The great circle and shortest route takes the fleet to about 47 degrees
but with the Azores high sitting close to the Islands of the same name at
40 degrees, the temptation for the fleet is to head further north away
from its influence. Similar thoughts are on the minds of the crews, from
Bouwe Bekking, Amer Sports One, "Will people cut the corner around the
high-pressure system, or take the longer northerly route?"
Over the last few hours the breeze was shifting around and the yachts had
to tack in a light easterly wind while still popping around in the old
swell. SEB and Amer Sports One are about to pass the waypoint while djuice
has left 13 miles to the corner. The last few hours has seen a very close
battle between SEB and News Corp after News Corp overtook ahead of the
0400 reports. With the shifting winds and sailing within sight of each
other SEB has regained the advantage but both need to keep an eye out
behind as Grant Dalton has found an extra bit of pace.
//ends
Royalty free pictures of the dismasted Amer Sports Too at
http://media.vemuk.com
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 6, 0956 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 40 53.76N 044 29.88W 1884 26 12.8 270 0 0 09/05/02 22:56 49
2 AART 40 23.56N 044 39.04W 1903 26 11.7 273 19 0 10/05/02 00:30 41
3 TYCO 40 17.60N 044 43.36W 1908 34 11 274 24 0 10/05/02 00:58 33
4 TSEB 40 00.12N 044 58.96W 1927 83 5.7 266 43 +4 10/05/02 02:29 26
5 NEWS 39 59.64N 045 01.00W 1928 74 6.8 269 44 +3 10/05/02 02:37 35
6 AONE 39 59.08N 045 01.32W 1929 65 8.9 279 45 +1 10/05/02 02:39 35
7 DJCE 39 53.84N 045 17.28W 1942 74 7.8 280 58 +2 10/05/02 03:46 23
8 ATOO 42 52.96N 061 24.84W 4512 322 7.4 159 2628 +10 No Data 10
PS – Position; DTF – Distance to Finish; CMG – Course made good; SMG –
Speed made good; TFHR – 24 hours run; DTL – Distance to leader; DTL-C –
Distance to leader change; ETA – Estimated time of arrival; PO –
accumulated Points
ILBK illbruck Challenge
AONE Amer Sports One
ATOO Amer Sports Two
AART ASSA ABLOY Racing Team
NEWS News Corporation
TYCO Team Tyco
TSEB Team SEB
DJCE djuice dragons
Southampton, England, May 3rd, 2002 0400 GMT
Turning the Corner
The leading boat in the current leg of the Volvo Ocean Race, illbruck, has
just reached the south east corner of the ice exclusion zone, and is now
able to turn onto a north easterly course and head straight for their
destination, La Rochelle, 1929 miles away. Thus far the boats are ahead of
schedule,but they have to negotiate a slack area of high pressure on their
way to the finish, and can expect lighter winds over the next 24 hours.
The forecast for the girls in the dismasted Amer Sports Too, could not be
more different. They have been warned that there is a deep depression
forming over Nova Scotia, and they can expect to be headed by gale force
winds within the next 18 hours. Amer Too is currently heading towards
Halifax at a speed of 10 knots, and has 180 miles to run.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 6, 0406 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 39 56.28N 044 59.60W 1929 85 8.5 335 0 0 09/05/02 20:42 49
2 AART 39 44.92N 045 20.24W 1948 95 8.8 333 19 +2 09/05/02 22:18 41
3 TYCO 39 37.44N 045 28.92W 1957 99 7.9 336 28 +9 09/05/02 23:04 33
4 NEWS 39 42.32N 045 46.16W 1967 96 9 329 38 -1 09/05/02 23:53 36
5 TSEB 39 41.52N 045 46.12W 1967 88 8.5 319 38 +3 09/05/02 23:54 25
6 AONE 39 36.32N 045 59.76W 1979 101 8.4 333 50 +5 10/05/02 00:53 35
7 DJCE 39 35.96N 046 14.32W 1989 93 8 339 60 +4 10/05/02 01:44 23
8 ATOO 42 19.56N 060 40.44W - - - - - - - -
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