Submerged Boat and Crew Member
The boat speeds are incredible and so of course are the risks at the
moment. This was proved today by the fact that a crew member was washed
over the side for a short period of time, as skipper Gunnar Krantz of Team
SEB reported to our Race headquarters radio interviewer.
Apparently a huge wave swamped the boat and completely submerged her. The
boat was being steered by Tony on the upper starboard side. Crew member
Glenn Kessels tried to save himself by hanging on to the portside wheel
but alas it broke in half. Glenn was soon retrieved and back on board
again, but the wheel will not be the same again reported Gunnar, who says
it now looks like an aeroplane steering device.
Conditions on deck are reportedly wild, power reaching is making for a
very fast but very wet ride.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 7, 2202 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 46 54.00N 032 54.36W 1299 64 18.6 449 0 0 09/05/02 05:58 49
2 AART 46 40.68N 033 36.96W 1330 59 19.2 444 31 -1 09/05/02 08:27 41
3 TYCO 46 32.40N 033 38.40W 1333 59 19.3 448 34 -1 09/05/02 08:40 33
4 TSEB 45 26.24N 033 50.00W 1354 65 18.5 432 55 -1 09/05/02 10:23 26
5 NEWS 45 53.68N 034 14.64W 1365 58 19.7 436 66 -4 09/05/02 11:14 35
6 AONE 45 57.68N 034 29.52W 1374 57 19.5 442 75 -2 09/05/02 11:58 35
7 DJCE 45 36.12N 034 32.84W 1381 55 19.3 436 82 0 09/05/02 12:32 23
8 ATOO 44 38.96N 063 34.24W 4512 0 0 152 3213 +111 No Data 10
Southampton, England, May 5, 2002 1600 GMT
On A Bumpy Road
As the fleet is still racing in unchanged conditions toward northeast, no
changes can be reported for the last six hours. The low that generates the
high winds for the fleet has started to move north-northeast from its
birthplace over New Foundland, towards the southern tip of Greenland. That
is the index direction of the high altitudes jet streams.
For the fleet this means decreasing winds as they get further away from
the centre of the low and a compression of the fleet over the next few
days becomes possible. This development makes it also less likely that
illbruck’s 484-mile record will be broken over the next days. Kevin
Shoebridge, Tyco’s skipper wrote: “[we are] flying along at present with
the large spinnaker and 32 knots of wind. We are making the most of a
low-pressure system we are imbedded in at present. Great sailing…” Amer
Sports One’s navigator Roger Nilsson and djuice’s Knut Frostad reported
difficult condition as the sea state is rather confused.
Nevertheless the yachts are set up for a quick crossing and the first
yacht is expected to be two days earlier than originally planned.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 7, 1554 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 46 02.96N 035 23.52W 1410 58 20 419 0 0 09/05/02 08:39 49
2 AART 45 40.52N 036 03.84W 1442 60 19.6 409 32 0 09/05/02 11:14 41
3 TYCO 45 31.52N 036 04.16W 1445 57 19.4 413 35 +3 09/05/02 11:30 33
4 TSEB 44 37.64N 036 15.28W 1466 59 19.4 404 56 +1 09/05/02 13:11 26
5 NEWS 44 49.84N 036 40.88W 1480 57 20 397 70 -2 09/05/02 14:19 35
6 AONE 44 52.08N 036 51.48W 1487 56 20.5 394 77 -4 09/05/02 14:51 35
7 DJCE 44 27.48N 036 49.64W 1492 57 20.3 401 82 -4 09/05/02 15:17 23
8 ATOO 44 38.96N 063 34.24W 4512 0 0 No Data 10
Record Setting Pace
All the yachts are sailing on a straight northeasterly course, spread
across a 50-mile wide track in strong south-southwesterly winds gusting to
35 knots. illbruck is setting the pace, only Tyco managed to keep their
pace, everybody else had to accept that the gap widened. News Corp and
Amer Sports One are pushing as much as they can to close the distance to
SEB lying forth. A good result is vital for both yachts to stay in touch
with ASSA ABLOY for the overall second place.
Knut Frostad, skipper of djuice questioned whether the 24-hour record, set
by illbruck this week might be broken again. The weather is obviously
providing the power they need to accelerate the V.O.60s to average speed
higher than 20 knots.
Amer Sports Too has arrived in Halifax at 0826 GMT this morning.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 7, 0956 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 44 59.28N 037 47.84W 1523 53 20.5 384 0 0 09/05/02 16:51 49
2 TYCO 44 27.84N 038 20.92W 1555 58 19.9 377 32 0 09/05/02 19:31 34
3 AART 44 43.08N 038 27.40W 1555 54 19.6 377 32 +4 09/05/02 19:30 40
4 TSEB 43 37.36N 038 32.80W 1578 53 19.1 360 55 +6 09/05/02 21:27 26
5 NEWS 43 44.56N 039 00.92W 1595 49 19.5 350 72 +6 09/05/02 22:52 35
6 AONE 43 44.16N 039 13.56W 1604 52 19.4 343 81 +5 09/05/02 23:36 35
7 DJCE 43 20.84N 039 09.80W 1609 50 18.3 344 86 +12 10/05/02 00:01 23
8 ATOO 44 38.96N 063 34.24W 4512 0 0 Halifax 10
Southampton, England, May 4, 2002 0400 GMT
A Game of Tactics
Once again illbruck is one of the few yachts that has managed to make
gains on the rest of the fleet in the Volvo Ocean Race. Pulling even
further ahead of her closest rivals she has extended her lead to 28
nautical miles. The only other yacht to make significant gains is Tyco in
third place, not only has she made a few miles on the leaders, but has
also closed the gap to second place. Only four miles now separates Tyco
and ASSA ABLOY. Further back it is the same story with Amer Sports One,
still loosing out to all around her, so much so that she has fallen into
seventh position behind djuice.
The changes in fleet could be attributed to the navigators tactics. They
have had to decide between heading further north and aiming to get above
the high-pressure system sitting in the Atlantic, and into stronger winds,
or taking a more direct route and hoping to do as well by sailing fewer
miles to La Rochelle. We will see in a few days, which tactical decisions
have paid off. It would appear that illbruck, ASSA ABLOY and Tyco, have
all taken the decision of heading north, whilst the rest of the fleet have
opted for the more direct route.
Amer Sports Too is due to arrive in Halifax in the next few minutes; she
has made good progress during the last few hours having, and should be
reaching the safety of the port now.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 7, 0409 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 ILBK 43 46.12N 040 03.80W 1638 53 15.8 318 0 0 09/05/02 20:27 49
2 AART 43 34.48N 040 39.68W 1666 48 15.7 311 28 +3 09/05/02 22:48 41
3 TYCO 43 24.36N 040 40.24W 1670 53 16.1 313 32 -3 09/05/02 23:09 33
4 TSEB 42 29.36N 040 38.12W 1687 55 15 286 49 +2 10/05/02 00:35 26
5 NEWS 42 27.48N 041 00.40W 1704 49 13.4 271 66 +14 10/05/02 01:55 35
6 DJCE 42 11.04N 041 03.96W 1712 56 14.8 281 74 +3 10/05/02 02:37 24
7 AONE 42 33.60N 041 19.12W 1714 50 14.3 276 76 +8 10/05/02 02:48 34
8 ATOO 44 38.96N 063 34.24W 4512 324 7.1 188 2874 +89 No Data 10
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