Volvo Ocean Race - Groupama 4 prepares for the Doldrums

by Franck Cammas on 22 Dec 2011 Volvo Ocean Race fleet are approaching the east African exclusion zone, set up by the Volvo Ocean Race organisers to avoid pirates.

With less than 400 miles from the stealth zone, Groupama 4 has consolidated her lead over her three most dangerous rivals, who are relegated to over 80 miles astern. There is no quirky trajectory in prospect: the aim is simply to make headway North as far as the Doldrums in an easing easterly breeze.

It's been three days that the whole fleet have been sailing along the edge of the Mascareignes High, in an easterly breeze of just twenty knots or so, which isn't always very stable either in strength or direction. Due to her separation offshore, Groupama 4 has been able to accelerate more than her rivals, who are now trying to converge on the same point, at 67° East, so as to gradually edge into the Doldrums, which appear to be fairly wide but not very active between 10° and 5° South.

'These aren't easy conditions because we're beam onto the wind with a rather messy sea state: the boat's very wet! Furthermore you have to switch sails fairly quickly so as to adapt to the variations in the breeze. Fortunately the water and air temperatures are good: it's hot but we're all soaked... However, we're happy with our positioning and we're making fast headway: Groupama 4 is quick in these conditions. The helmsman is having a ball because the boat is very pleasant to drive and can surf off the waves, but the trimmers have their eyes more on the wake than up ahead because it's impossible to keep your eyes open in the constant spray.'

A little unsettled by the conservative attitude of his rivals (with the exception of the Chinese boat), Franck Cammas has been able to back up his sailing method by favouring major strategic options so as to play the wind variations rather than going for small tactical coups targeted at gaining a better position as regards the fleet. Their unfortunate experience of the first leg has done nothing to dampen the vision of the crew of Groupama 4.

'We found ourselves sailing on our own again in the front! As such we joined back up with the main group because the conditions weren't easy to follow. After that though, we found a way out via the South. I think that the other crews focus more on a short term strategy because we couldn't understand why nobody followed us when we set off towards the South-East for the third time... On exiting the front and with the separation we acquired as a result, we've benefited from a better angle to make headway North over the past three days. Now we're gradually going to latch onto light airs and it's likely that the whole fleet will bunch up again on crossing the equator. It's true that we're beginning to get a bit of a complex by dint of constantly doing our own thing... However, our confidence has been boosted now as regards the way we're tackling the strategy, and that's remotivated the crew!'

However, with the approach of the Doldrums looming, Franck Cammas and his crew will modify their approach in relation to their rivals: as there is no meteorological phenomenon set to disturb the course, the aim above all is to traverse the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) as quickly as possible, in the knowledge that the area isn't as active as it can be in the Atlantic. As such they will have to favour a direct route, at 20° to the `secret' port and play with the wind variations and clouds along the way as they climb up towards the equator.

'The best tactic is to remain between our rivals and the finish. As such we're going to try to gradually slip along, following their trajectories. However, the Doldrums remain a hazardous zone, which can just as easily favour the leaders as the pursuers. Added to this, you can't really rely on the grib files in the area! You just have play your opportunist card, making the very most of the clouds and squalls in the area. It's not a region I'm familiar with, but the same is true for the others...'

From this afternoon, the tradewinds will switch round to about fifteen knots of south-easterly, which will make things more pleasant on deck. The breeze will ease to around ten knots by Thursday at noon, heralding a considerable dip in pace over the next two days, thus favouring a bunching of the fleet. If things go as forecast, it won't be until the middle of the weekend that the westerly wind of around a dozen knots will settle at around 4° South, and this will be the scenario until the finish.

Position at 1300 UTC on 21/12/2011
1. Groupama 4
2. Puma - 83.30 miles astern of the leader
3. Telefonica - 93.50 miles astern of the leader
4. Camper - 116.10 miles astern of the leader
5. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - 226.50 miles astern of the leader
Team Sanya - suspended Groupama Sailing Team website