23.02.2011
VAN LIEW ROUNDS CAPE HORN AFTER BRUTAL APPROACH TO nautical 'everest'
Leading the VELUX 5 OCEANS race Brad Van Liew has just become the only American
to ever race solo three times around the infamous Cape Horn
FEBRUARY 22, 2011 (Charleston, SC) - They say penguins can't fly, but American ocean
racer Brad Van Liew has urged his ECO-60 racing yacht Le Pingouin to a new level
of speed and precision, rounding Cape Horn at 2230 UTC yesterday more than 400
miles ahead of his competitors. This is Van Liew's third time around the infamous
Cape Horn under sail, though experience often takes a back seat to luck when facing
the treacherous, unpredictable conditions in the small corridor between the southern
tip of South America and the icy landmass of Antarctica. This is where waves and
wind build up over thousands of miles, the waters thrust upwards by the continental
shelf to heights seen nowhere else on the ocean. Often referred to as the Mt. Everest
of sailing, Cape Horn is a milestone that few experience, and none forget.
"Last night was really dangerous. I had 50 knots of wind as I came up onto the shelf,
the waves were out of control," said Van Liew from 56 degrees South latitude. "The
bow stuck into the back of a few waves and the boat went underwater up to the mast.
It was a clear reminder of how unforgiving this place is."
Following the extreme conditions that pushed him past Cape Horn, Van Liew found
calmer weather on the other side. America's most successful solo racer aimed his
bow close to land and was rewarded with the stark glacial beauty of this remote
locale.
"It is a remarkable feeling and I'm going on deck to enjoy the moment," said Van
Liew. "Last night was intense and I feel blessed to have sailed through it and
kept my boat in one piece. It really feels special to be here for a third time in
my life, and to achieve something no other American ever has."
Van Liew has been at sea for more than 15 days since leaving Wellington, New Zealand
on the third 'Ocean Sprint' of the 2010-11 VELUX 5 OCEANS race. The Southern Ocean
has been true to its reputation, offering up freezing temperatures, strong winds,
and monstrous waves. Van Liew's 43rd birthday and Valentine's Day were both solo
occasions at sea this month, but the demands of solo ocean racing hardly allow
him to spend much time noticing these landlubber's holidays. He is sleep deprived
and subsisting on dehydrated food, with the mission of keeping the boat as light
and fast as possible. Van Liew has won the first two Ocean Sprints of this historic
race and has also won both 'speed gates' thus far, and he'll now set his sights
on the finish line of the third leg of the race in Punta Del Este, Uruguay. Once
ashore, Van Liew and his support team will prepare his boat for the penultimate
leg of the race to his home town; Charleston, South Carolina.
Companies supporting Van Liew's efforts to win the VELUX 5 OCEANS race include Ondeck,
Cape Wind, Samson, B&G, Simrad, Gill, AlpineAire Foods, West Marine, Awlgrip, Harken,
Grawnola, Dubary, and Coast New Zealand. The team is actively pursuing additional
companies to benefit from the vast media exposure and hospitality opportunities
that exist for the reindexing three months of racing, and a planned post-race tour.
The Velux 5 Oceans started from La Rochelle in France on October 17, 2010 and features
five ocean sprints. After heading from La Rochelle, France to Cape Town, South Africa,
the race headed across the vast Southern Indian Ocean to Wellington, New Zealand.
From there, the racing sailboats head to Punta del Este, Uruguay, then up the Atlantic
to Charleston, USA before returning across the ocean to France to the finish.
For further information on Brad Van Liew or Team Lazarus, please contact:
Meaghan Van Liew
M: + 1 843-814-3966 (US cell)
M: +64 (0) 210700584 (New Zealand cell - voice and messaging until February 25)
E: mvanliew@oceanracing.org [mailto:mvanliew@oceanracing.org]
W: www.oceanracing.org
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