Southampton, England, June 8th, 2002 2200 GMT
A Short but Demanding Leg
After 10 hours of leg 9 of the Volvo Ocean Race, the fleet which divided
into 2 groups to go either side of the island of Anholt, is now on a
converging course once more. The easterly group has gained a very slight
edge over those who chose to sail to the west of the island, but as there
is a mere 3 miles covering the 8 boats, honours could be said to be pretty
even at this stage.
With winds forecast to stay light and veer to the south east in the next
few hours, it looks as though it might be late afternoon tomorrow before
the final act in this tense and exciting race is played out.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 1, 2200 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 DJCE 56 32.52N 011 26.40E 154 233 7.3 - 0 0 09/06/02 16:23 33
2 AART 56 33.56N 011 25.52E 155 236 7.3 - 1 0 09/06/02 16:30 56
3 TSEB 56 36.12N 011 09.04E 155 215 7.6 - 1 -1 09/06/02 16:33 35
4 NEWS 56 36.56N 011 09.60E 156 215 7.4 - 2 0 09/06/02 16:34 45
5 ILBK 56 33.72N 011 28.80E 156 236 6.5 - 2 +1 09/06/02 16:36 58
6 TYCO 56 36.96N 011 10.68E 156 215 7 - 2 0 09/06/02 16:42 43
7 ATOO 56 35.68N 011 32.40E 158 235 5.8 - 4 +1 09/06/02 16:53 13
8 AONE 56 35.96N 011 33.76E 159 241 5.8 - 5 +1 09/06/02 16:57 41
Southampton, England, June 8, 2002 1600 GMT
Near Disaster For ASSA ABLOY
The fleet got into a tense gibing duel straight after the gun. The dying
easterly wind was slowly replaced by a weak westerly sea breeze, creating
tricky and patchy conditions. Roughly every two minutes the teams had to
gybe to clear the channel, boats with the right of way or to clear the
spectator crafts. Every gybe had to be perfect.
The crew on ASSA ABLOY experienced near disaster when it almost collided
with a spectator boat after the team gybed away into the fleet of sailing
fans to make up some distance. The situation was chaotic. With that move
in to the spectator boats, Neal McDonald and his men made up some
distance. But before reaching ‘Trubaduren light’, at the end of the
shipping lane, ASSA ABLOY was plagued by a number of wind holes and
dropped back to sixth.
By now the fleet has split in two groups with Tyco, SEB, News Corp in the
west and illbruck, ASSA ABLOY, djuice, Amer Sports One and Amer Sports Too
in the east. The navigators on the yachts have to decide on the side they
want to leave the island of Anholt, now 30 miles to the south of the
current positions. If the westerly breeze stays for the next couple of
hours, the westerly route is shorter towards the entrance into the Great
Belt. If the forecast easterlies are due to set in, the easterly fleet
will pick it up first and could gain a big advantage. As the island of
Anholt is very flat, the wind shouldn’t get changed too heavily.
Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 1, 1606 GMT
PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG DTL DTL-C ETA PO
1 TSEB 57 09.56N 011 33.12E 190 188 9.7 0 0 09/06/02 13:03 37
2 TYCO 57 10.48N 011 32.08E 191 190 9.7 1 0 09/06/02 13:08 47
3 NEWS 57 09.84N 011 36.84E 191 184 9.9 1 0 09/06/02 13:08 46
4 ILBK 57 08.68N 011 44.16E 191 175 10.2 1 0 09/06/02 13:07 59
5 DJCE 57 10.20N 011 43.84E 193 173 10.2 3 +1 09/06/02 13:16 29
6 AART 57 10.32N 011 44.32E 193 177 10.5 3 0 09/06/02 13:17 52
7 AONE 57 10.80N 011 43.52E 193 173 9.9 3 +1 09/06/02 13:19 42
8 ATOO 57 11.24N 011 43.64E 194 170 10.2 4 +1 09/06/02 13:22 12
Gothenburg, Sweden, June 8th, 2002
Huge lead for Illbruck at start of leg nine of the Volvo Ocean Race
The day for the final restart in the Volvo Ocean Race 2001 – 2002 from
Gothenburg to Kiel, dawned fair and clear, and the normally huge crowd
seen in the race village every day since the arrival of the fleet in
Gothenburg on the 29th May was depleted. The locals headed instead for
the islands of the archipelago or down to their boats, picnic baskets
loaded, and intent on having the time of their lives watching the eight
V.O. 60s line up to do battle for the last time.
The crowds that did gather in Eriksberg fell silent as blessing of the
fleet was held. Psalm 23 was the blessing chosen by the two religious
figures, sweltering in their dark robes under hot sun. Reverend Agneta
Olsson for the Parish of Örgryte read the psalm in English and Reverend
Alf Österström for the Parish of Lundby read the psalm in Swedish. It was
followed by the orchestral music of Pechebel’s Canon in D, which induced
the spectators, sailors and families into a reflective mood at the
beginning of the last leg of this premier ocean race. Blue and white
balloons filled the air as local boat Assa Abloy left the dock, with two
crewmen aloft waving the Swedish flag.
The start line was established ¼ mile to the south east of the island of
Alvsborgson, which is approximately two miles from the bridge marking the
entrance to Gothenburg Harbour. The start gun was fired from the ramparts
of the island fort at 1400 local time.
The fleet set starboard pole spinnakers early for a clean downwind start
in a patchy eight to 12-knot easterly breeze, illbruck setting themselves
up directly to windward of Assa Abloy. After crossing the line, Amer
Sports One gybed immediately onto port, followed by teammates Amer Sports
Too. The very narrow channel, with banks of spectator boats on both
sides, forced Amer Sports One to gybe back after ten boat lengths.
The incredible armada of spectator boats were kept under control by the
patrol boats that did a marvellous job in preventing the spectators from
straying into the path of the fleet. Initially, Illbruck was in the lead
from SEB, with djuice, Amer Sports One and Tyco all in close contention at
the head of the fleet, all making four gybes in eight minutes. This start
was all about finding clear air, which was made very difficult in such a
narrow channel. The fleet were constantly gibing down the track, followed
by the enthusiastic flotilla of supporters in a dying breeze.
As the fleet made their way towards the Trubaduren light, at the outer
limit of the archipelago, it was illbruck just over a mile ahead of SEB,
the rest of the fleet bunched together in a tight group, but all
struggling for wind, sails slatting in the hot sun, the crews searching
for whispers, or ‘cat’s paws’ of breeze.
Once clear of Trubaduren light, the fleet will head south-southwest
towards Storebaelt, which is the channel between the Danish island of
Sjaelland, where the city of Copenhagen is located, and the island of
Fyen.
The course of 220 nautical miles was lengthened by a further nine miles at
1100 local time today, although the Race Committee could decide shorten
the course again once the lead boat reaches Kiel light tomorrow.
A sea breeze is expected today with an easterly gradient breeze of 10
knots, due to go light at the finish in Kiel.
Weather forecast issued by the Met Office covering the period 0600 today
until 0600 UTC tomorrow:
General situation: with high pressure over northern Scandinavia and lower
pressure over Ireland and SW England also Poland, an east east-southeast
airstream will cover the route. The wind is forecast 10 – 15 knots
strongest in the south, becoming east-southeast 10 – 15 knots strongest in
the south.
Sea state: slight.
Positions will be available hourly www.volvooceanrace.org until the finish
in Kiel.
|
