Oceanracing 2002 - Around Alone

vergrößern

13.12.2002
Betreff: DAY -1 TO LEG 3 RESTART FROM CAPE TOWN Absender: "Aroundalone" Datum: 13. Dec 2002 20:27
DAY -1 TO LEG 3 RESTART FROM CAPE TOWN

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston gives the weather briefing for Leg 3 using Raytech Navigator 4.1 - photo Roy Riley/Marinepics
Around Alone skippers at the Leg 3 press conference - photo Roy Riley / Marinepics
Brad van Liew accepts his Leg 2 1st place prize from Peter Betch, GM of Afrox - photo Roy Riley / Marinepics

LEG 3 RESTART ON THE WEB - BRIAN HANCOCK WILL BE GIVING YOU MOMENT BY MOMENT ACTION FROM CAPE TOWN ONLINE SO STAY GLUED TO YOUR COMPUTER SCREENS FOR TOMORROW!

The Leg 3 Press Conference, hosted by Race Partner Raymarine, City of Cape Town's Events Office and port sponsors Afrox, was held this morning at the BMW Pavilion in the V&A Waterfront. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston held the weather briefing using the Raytech Navigator 4.1 to show the forecast for the first 24hrs of the leg from Cape Town to Tauranga, NZ. Despite the recent morning fog, the indications are for fair winds from the South at the start of the race at 12:00hrs local time, which will shift to the South West to give headwinds for the fleet for the first 6 - 8 hours. Once the boats have rounded Cape Point they will reach Westerlies to propel them downwind towards their destination 7,190 nautical miles away in Tauranga, New Zealand.

All the skippers were in fine spirits one day before setting out for the 'serious leg' as phrased by American skipper Tim Kent on Everest Horizontal. Overall current leader with 20 points, Swiss skipper Bernard Stamm on Bobst Group-Armor Lux, explained how he saw this next Southern Ocean leg: "The only time I have been in this ocean is on a cargo ship so this time it will be quite different! First I will sail safely, as the biggest danger of all is myself - to know the limits of the boat is not a simple task, these boats are complicated machines. I've changed the indexsail so I can take 4 reefs in instead of three, and we've added a cuddy in the cockpit so that I can shelter a little from the weather. As for my competition, well, we are great friends, but out there it's war, and if the race is not for winning, then what?!"

Letztes Gruppenfoto vor dem Südpazifik

Letztes Wetterbriefing vor Start

Emma Richards gut erholt

Chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston

French circumnavigator, Thierry Dubois on Solidaires, currently 2nd in the overall rankings just two points behind Stamm, added: "I am looking forward to strong winds - and I mean above 40 knots! The weather in the South was kind when I raced in the VendÃ©e Globe, so the fact that I have already been around the bottom of world is not really significant here."
British skipper Emma Richards on Open 60 Pindar, lying third overall in Class 1 with 15 points, has a great deal of experience of the Southern Ocean most recently when she competed in the Volvo Ocean Race, and reminded everyone of the pleasures of sailing in the South: "I love it - well except for the ice and isolation! There is the most fantastic sailing ahead of us, it is so beautiful down there, and I hope all of us will enjoy the strong winds and big waves."
One skipper racing into his home port of course is New Zealander Graham Dalton on Hexagon: "The aim is always to get to the finish in the quickest time possible, especially as I know that the people of Tauranga will come out in their thousands to welcome the boats in. I did my first sail training in these waters and the boat is really sorted now, so I'm going all out to beat the others in to port."
Class 2 leader Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America, the only Around Alone veteran, has tasted the South before, unlike his fellow competitors. This time round he is a father, which inevitably adds to the emotion of leaving family and friends for a month long stretch of racing in the harshest seas on this planet: "Of course I don't like to leave my wife Meaghan and little girl Tate, but part of me will be driven to get to the next port quickest so I can see them again."
The oldest competitor in the fleet, diabetic Canadian skipper John Dennis on Bayer Ascensia, has his boat all set and is looking forward to the experience ahead: "Brad is a smart guy and knows where he is going, and Tim Kent on the other 50 footer is now called 'scooter', as he has tendancies to scoot from one side of the course to the other! I'm going to be keeping a close eye on these two and if I can keep a straight line between them, I'm hoping to get to the finish line a bit quicker than I did in this last leg." All of John's closest competitors are taking John's medication for his diabetes on board in case he ever needs to be rescued by a fellow skipper during the leg.
Japanese skipper Kojiro Shiraishi on Spirit of yukoh is the other skipper in 'Eastern' waters, which he knows better. His aim: "To take pictures of icebergs and reindex in good humour! My Finot designed boat will go much faster I hope, it is made for the South."
The course for leg 3 may actually avoid going through ice territory, as it takes the fleet round Cape Point towards the first mark of the course, Heard Island, which they keep to Starboard. In accordance with the Australian SAR they must pass North of Latitude 46 degrees South at some point between Logitude 105 - 120 degrees East. Leaving Tasmania to Port, they must lastly leave Cape Reinga to Starboard and then cross the finish line in Tauranga, New Zealand. ETA for the first boats is the 11th January 2003.
There is a mounted pressure at the North Wharf in the V&A, where the 12 Around Alone yachts are berthed in the lead up to the start. Shore crews are busy not only getting their own boats ready but rushing off to help some of the Class 2 skippers, who are in need of an extra pair of hands to set rigging, check sails, autopilots etc. It's a family affair as ever in this race, and thanks to the community feeling on the dockside all 12 boats will be on that start line for 12:00hrs tomorrow 14th December.
* The current Leg Standings and Overall Results so far will be issued tomorrow.
* The Around Alone fleet and Race Village are based at North Wharf at the V&A Waterfront until the restart on December 14th. Race Merchandise is on sale.
* Restart: The yachts will leave North Wharf from 0900hrs, December 14th in procession out to the breakwater.
* Watch the Leg 3 Restart December 14th - please contact Mary Ambler if you want to book a space on a Media Boat for the restart on December 14th. Mary Ambler - Email: mambler@clipper-ventures.com - Cape Town Mob: +27 (0)823 709 058
* Win Raytech Navigator 4.1 software: The Around Alone race organisation use Raytech Navigator 4.1 software by Raymarine to track the yachts, calculate their positions and performance data, which is displayed online at www.aroundalone.com. Go to www.emarine.co.za to win your copy of the software. Track the fleet yourself by clicking on the positions page on the race website and following the link at the top of the chart...
Mary Ambler - mambler@clipper-ventures.com

Betreff: AROUND ALONE 2002-03: DAY -1 TO LEG 3 RESTART, CAPE TOWN - TAURANGA, NZL: START AT 1200HRS 14/12/02 Absender: "Mary Ambler" Empfänger: Datum: 13. Dec 2002 18:12
http://www.aroundalone.com
DAY –1 TO LEG 3 RESTART, CAPE TOWN – TAURANGA, NZL: START AT 1200HRS 14/12/02

The Cape Town Stopover is sponsored by Afrox (www.afrox.com) 14th Dec: Watch the Around Alone Leg 3 Start at 12:00hrs Leg Standings and Overall Results to be issued tomorrow Images of the restart: Marinepics distribution details below
Cape Town, South Africa – 13th December: The Leg 3 Press Conference, hosted by Race Partner Raymarine, City of Cape Town’s Events Office and port sponsors Afrox, was held this morning at the BMW Pavilion in the V&A Waterfront. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston held the weather briefing using the Raytech Navigator 4.1 to show the forecast for the first 24hrs of the leg from Cape Town to Tauranga, NZ. Despite the recent morning fog, the indications are for fair winds from the South at the start of the race at 12:00hrs local time, which will shift to the South West to give headwinds for the fleet for the first 6 – 8 hours. Once the boats have rounded Cape Point they will reach Westerlies to propel them downwind towards their destination 7,190 nautical miles away in Tauranga, New Zealand.
All the skippers were in fine spirits one day before setting out for the ‘serious leg’ as phrased by American skipper Tim Kent on Everest Horizontal. Overall current leader with 20 points, Swiss skipper Bernard Stamm on Bobst Group-Armor Lux, explained how he saw this next Southern Ocean leg: “The only time I have been in this ocean is on a cargo ship so this time it will be quite different! First I will sail safely, as the biggest danger of all is myself – to know the limits of the boat is not a simple task, these boats are complicated machines. I’ve changed the indexsail so I can take 4 reefs in instead of three, and we’ve added a cuddy in the cockpit so that I can shelter a little from the weather. As for my competition, well, we are great friends, but out there it’s war, and if the race is not for winning, then what?!”
French circumnavigator, Thierry Dubois on Solidaires, currently 2nd in the overall rankings just two points behind Stamm, added: “I am looking forward to strong winds – and I mean above 40 knots! The weather in the South was kind when I raced in the Vendée Globe, so the fact that I have already been around the bottom of world is not really significant here.”
British skipper Emma Richards on Open 60 Pindar, lying third overall in Class 1 with 15 points, has a great deal of experience of the Southern Ocean most recently when she competed in the Volvo Ocean Race, and reminded everyone of the pleasures of sailing in the South: “I love it – well except for the ice and isolation! There is the most fantastic sailing ahead of us, it is so beautiful down there, and I hope all of us will enjoy the strong winds and big waves.”
One skipper racing into his home port of course is New Zealander Graham Dalton on Hexagon: “The aim is always to get to the finish in the quickest time possible, especially as I know that the people of Tauranga will come out in their thousands to welcome the boats in. I did my first sail training in these waters and the boat is really sorted now, so I’m going all out to beat the others in to port.”
Class 2 leader Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America, the only Around Alone veteran, has tasted the South before, unlike his fellow competitors. This time round he is a father, which inevitably adds to the emotion of leaving family and friends for a month long stretch of racing in the harshest seas on this planet: “Of course I don’t like to leave my wife Meaghan and little girl Tate, but part of me will be driven to get to the next port quickest so I can see them again.”
The oldest competitor in the fleet, diabetic skipper John Dennis on Bayer Ascensia, has his boat all set and is looking forward to the experience ahead: “Brad is a smart guy and knows where he is going, and Tim Kent on the other 50 footer is now called ‘scooter’, as he has tendancies to scoot from one side of the course to the other! I’m going to be keeping a close eye on these two and if I can keep a straight line between them, I’m hoping to get to the finish line a bit quicker than I did in this last leg.” All of John’s closest competitors are taking John’s medication for his diabetes on board in case he ever needs to be rescued by a fellow skipper during the leg.
Japanese skipper Kojiro Shiraishi on Spirit of yukoh is the other skipper in ‘Eastern’ waters, which he knows better. His aim: “To take pictures of icebergs and reindex in good humour! My Finot designed boat will go much faster I hope, it is made for the South.”
The course for leg 3 may actually avoid going through ice territory, as it takes the fleet round Cape Point towards the first mark of the course, Heard Island, which they keep to Starboard. Then they must pass North of Latitude 46 degrees South at some point between Logitude 105 - 120 degrees East. Leaving Tasmania to Port, they must lastly leave Cape Reinga to Starboard and then cross the finish line in Tauranga, New Zealand. ETA for the first boats is the 11th January 2003.
There is a mounted pressure at the North Wharf in the V&A, where the 12 Around Alone yachts are berthed in the lead up to the start. Shore crews are busy not only getting their own boats ready but rushing off to help some of the Class 2 skippers, who are in need of an extra pair of hands to set rigging, check sails, autopilots etc. It’s a family affair as ever in this race, and thanks to the community feeling on the dockside all 12 boats will be on that start line for 12:00hrs tomorrow 14th December.
* The current Leg Standings and Overall Results so far will be issued tomorrow.
* The Around Alone fleet and Race Village are based at North Wharf at the V&A Waterfront until the restart on December 14th. Race Merchandise is on sale.
* Restart: The yachts will leave North Wharf from 0900hrs, December 14th in procession out to the breakwater.
* Watch the Leg 3 Restart December 14th – please contact Mary Ambler if you want to book a space on a Media Boat for the restart on December 14th. Mary Ambler - Email: mambler@clipper-ventures.com - Cape Town Mob: +27 (0)823 709 058
For images of the Leg 3 Restart : Cape Town media distribution - Roy Riley: royspics@aol.com International Distribution: Ali McKichan, Marinepics - Email: info@marinepics.com - Tel: +44 (0) 1489 573753
Local & International Media Relations: Mary Ambler - Email: mambler@clipper-ventures.com Cape Town Mobile No: +27 (0)823 709 058