Volvo Ocean Race – The fleet finally heads for Newport

by Volvo Ocean Race on 20 Apr 2015 Volvo Ocean Race – After a painfully slow start, the fleet finally got going. Team Alvimedica led the way out of Itajai. The Turkish American team must be spurred on and fired up for a good result for this homecoming leg back to Newport, Rhode Island.

It was slow work northeast, moving more and more offshore and away from the land effect. At 22:00 UTC the fleet was dogged by some frustrating rain clouds that challenged some teams more than others.

SCA and Alvimedica fell foul of a shift that went against them while MAPFRE and ADOR made the most of it stretching their lead North before tacking with the fleet east at around midnight.

All the teams are now sailing incredibly similar speeds East with only 0.02 of a knot separating the fastest and the slowest. There is still only 12 nm separating the fleet north to the south and eight nm east to west.

The fleet is not expecting much change in the conditions for the next 12 hours.

Today's weather
1) High pressure this morning is near 27 30s/26 30w, far off to the E of the fleet
- the high is ridging WNW
2) The high will be moving off to the E during the day
3) Weak low/trough is near 31s/38 30w while other front dying out close to Rio
4) NE winds will prevail
5) Next cold front is down around Uruguay
- this will push ENE
6) The front will be around 35s/42w to 30s/44w then to Praia Grande around 1200utc Tues
- showers and t-storms along the front
7) Backing winds for the fleet
- wind speeds increase later Mon night and Tues
8) Front will be just SW of Vitoria Wed
- N flow 12-18 kts likely for the fleet out ahead of the front

Leader: MAPF
Wind speed: 12-14 knots
Boat speed SOG (15 mins): 10 knots
Wind direction: 24º - 46º
Lowest boat speed: MAPF (10 knots)
Highest boat speed: ALVI, BRUN (10.2 knots)
Lowest wind speed: SCA, ADOR, ALVI, DRFT (12 knots)
Highest wind speed: MAPF (14 knots)

Position report list

YACHT	LAT	LON	DATE	DTL	DTLC	avgSOG(3h)	avgSOG(15')	TWS	TWD	HDG
MAPF	-26.27433	-46.8945	20/04/15 06:40:00	0	0	10.4	11	15	24	84
ADOR	-26.27417	-46.94033	20/04/15 06:40:00	2	0.0	10.1	11	13	30	80
ALVI	-26.314	-46.9165	20/04/15 06:40:00	2.3	0	10.3	10	13	38	76
SCA1	-26.43	-46.87583	20/04/15 06:40:00	4.7	-1.0	9.9	10	12	31	78
DFRT	-26.40567	-46.91283	20/04/15 06:40:00	5.4	-1.0	10	10	12	16	72
TBRU	-26.31233	-46.99833	20/04/15 06:40:00	5.9	-1.0	10	11	13	31	80