21.02.2011
MEDIA ALERT: VELUX 5 OCEANS SPRINT THREE LEADER BRAD VAN LIEW PASSES CAPE HORN
AMERICAN ocean racer Brad Van Liew, the leading skipper in the third sprint of the VELUX 5 OCEANS, has passed Cape Horn. The 43-year-old becomes the first American ever to race singlehanded around Cape Horn three times.
Brad rounded the world famous landmark at around 2230 UTC this evening (Monday February 21). His previous roundings were during the Around Alone, forerunner to the VELUX 5 OCEANS, in 1998 and 2002.
You can listen to Brad talking about rounding the Horn HERE.
21.02.2011
FIRST OF VELUX 5 OCEANS FLEET DUE TO ROUND CAPE HORN TODAY
Brad Van Liew - credit Ainhoa Sanchez/ VELUX 5 OCEANS
Brad Van Liew set to round famous landmark for historic third time
THE leading yacht in the third sprint of the VELUX 5 OCEANS is expected to round Cape Horn today. American ocean racer Brad Van Liew was just 130 nautical miles from the famous landmark at 1200 UTC.
It will be the third time Brad, 43, has raced round Cape Horn solo, one of only a handful of sailors and the first American ever to achieve the feat. But in order to join that elite band Brad must pass safely through one of the most dangerous and feared bodies of water in the world, where millions of tonnes of water are forced through a 400-mile wide gap between the South American continent and Antarctica.
Numerous solo ocean racers have had their races ended trying to pass through this section of the Southern Ocean. Some lost their lives. In the 1990/1 edition of the VELUX 5 OCEANS South African John Martin hit a submerged iceberg on his approach to Cape Horn and was rescued by fellow countryman Bertie Reed. During the 1994/5 event, 70-year-old Briton Harry Mitchell was lost at sea trying to fulfil his dream of rounding Cape Horn. Four years later, French yachtswoman Isabelle Autissier was rescued by fellow competitor Giovanni Soldini just west of Cape Horn after her yacht was capsized.
In 1998 Brad himself was smashed by hurricane-force winds and seas over 20 metres high as he approached Cape Horn. Current VELUX 5 OCEANS competitor Derek Hatfield survived a dramatic capsize near Cape Horn in the 2002/3 edition of the race. Most recently in the 2007/8 Vendée Globe, Frenchman Jean Le Cam was rescued after his yacht lost its keel and turned upside down near Cape Horn.
“Nothing’s easy round here,” Brad said this morning. “This low pressure area that I’m dealing with as I’m gearing up for Cape Horn was supposed to be pretty mellow but instead of 30 knots of breeze I just had 50. It’s forecast to build to 34 or 40 knots, so I don’t know what I might get, maybe 60 knots, which I’m not entirely comfortable with. It’s just the way Cape Horn is, you have to take everything with a pinch of salt. I’ve got the handbrake on now, trying to be really safe. I’ve got three reefs and the storm jib up. I’m trying to tread lightly and ask permission to round Cape Horn.”
Describing the horrendous weather conditions battering his Eco 60 yacht Le Pingouin this morning, Brad said: “It’s grey and very cold. The sea temperature is about seven degrees which is good news because it’s not too cold. The seas are about 30ft plus and they have breaking water on top of them, so the boat is getting tossed around once in a while. I’m trying to keep the boat going fast enough that it can steer a relatively straight line and keep in line with the swells. It’s a bit nerve-wracking right now.”
At 1200 UTC Brad had a lead of 396 nautical miles on second placed Zbigniew Gutkowski’s Operon Racing, but his advantage was providing little comfort as he approached Cape Horn.
“I’m exhausted, cold and tired,” he said. “I’m always wet, it’s impossible to keep the boat dry down below. I’m a little worried about my steering system, it’s making a weird noise. There’s apprehension and nervousness going on right now but if I can get round safely I will be one of a small group of sailors who have been round the Horn three times solo. If you look at the superstars of Open 60 sailing many of them don’t get this far, let alone three times. Going round Cape Horn three times is a huge achievement and I would love to join that group. That said, it’s not a done deal until I’m round safely.”
Once round Cape Horn, Brad will have around 1,300 miles to sail to reach the ocean sprint three finish line in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
Ocean sprint three positions at 12h00 UTC:
Skipper / distance to finish (nm) / distance to leader (nm) / distance covered in last 24 hours (nm) / average speed in last 24 hours (kts)
Brad Van Liew, Le Pingouin: 1430.6/ 0/ 315.8/ 13.2
Zbigniew Gutkowski, Operon Racing: 1827 /396.3 / 235.6 /9.8
Derek Hatfield, Active House: 1935.5 /504.9 / 260.7 /10.9
Chris Stanmore-Major, Spartan: 2095.4 / 664.8 / 349.3 /14.6
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