Volvo Ocean Race- Day 9 final report - Lead continually changing

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com on 21 Oct 2014 The battle continues for the lead in the Volvo Ocean Race, with the front running being taken up by different competitors on a regular basis.

With the first boats about to enter the Doldrums, anything can happen - with the outcome being decided by navigational skill and experience, rather than being resolved on a computer.

The latest report from Volvo Ocean Race Control is as follows:

Latest position report: 0430 UTC

Leader: Team Brunel
Spread of fleet: 136 nm
Wind speed: 9 knots
Wind direction: Average 100º but swinging between 072º 130º
Distance to the Fernando de Noronha waypoint: 820 nm
Heading to the waypoint: 197º

That’s it. The fleet is entering the International Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The Doldrums.

It is what it says on the tin. Convergence means a meeting of many things. A place of confusion as the Northern and Southern hemispheres come together.

As the fleet are pulled south (SSW), the tracker looks more like raindrops dripping down a window pain then a data bank of directions.

Rain will be the theme of the next 24 hours, tropical rain.

And the big question is east or west. Team Vestas Wind and MAPFRE are to the east. Dongfeng Race Team, Team Alvimedica and Team SCA, who are catching up from behind, are in the middle. Team Brunel and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing are to the west.

It’s too early to know who the winner is, but the west is looking good right now. At 0545 UTC, Brunel had a boat speed of 10 knots and Vestas, one knot.

But this is all changing as we speak so don’t be surprised if it changes. As Vestas’ navigator Wouter Verbraak says – 'the ITCZ can be fun but tricky…'