Volvo Ocean Race - Skirting new ice limit lines on route to Cape Horn
by Volvo Ocean Race on 26 Mar 2015
Onboard Team Alvimedica - Typically wet downwind sailing conditions keep everyone in the back of the boat,but never free from the ocean's reach - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 Amory Ross / Team Alvimedica
Volvo Ocean Race - The ice limit coordinates, as decided by Race Control, have been dictating the action in the last eight hours. The first five boats are now short-gybing up a virtual coastline to within just 300 metres.
Of course the real ice coast is over 1,300 nautical miles to the south, but after Race Control had information regarding an iceberg in the vicinity only 75nm away, the exclusion zone was moved north yesterday.
MAPFRE and Dongfeng were the most southerly boats and had to come back up, sailing northeast approaching ice limit number seven from below its latitude. The rest of the fleet descended on the point, sailing southeast on a collision course with the Spanish and the Chinese boats. The leading ones, Team Alvimedica and Team Brunel, only just crossed ahead of MAPFRE forcing them to gybe back towards the limit line.
Once all four boats were squashed together, they could not only see each other on AIS but struck up a conversation on VHF radio. We would have loved to hear the banter between the teams, all saying hello to each other in this most bizarre leg five twist. Apparently Ian walker broadcasted that he had expected Jack Lloyd (Race Director) and Knut Frostad (Volvo Ocean Race CEO) to be sat in a small boat, greeting them having just re-laid the new racing marks, with an M-Flag and a sound signal. All of this over 1,600nm away from any inhabited land.
Although Jack and Knut are not sat in a small boat, they are watching as part of Race Control, monitoring no team crosses over the virtual line.
The fleet then traded gybes all night with place changes due to frustrating light patches and unpredictable shifts normally associated with sailing under a coastal cliff, not in the middle of the biggest ocean on the planet. At one stage, all the four leading boats were within 1nm radius. Sunrise is at 1350 UTC so they could all wake up together and pass good morning wishes amongst each boat.
Dongfeng is not far behind, only 18nm back. Charles Caudrelier’s crew has taken 20nm out of the fleet in the last eight hours.
Team SCA has been the most successful when it comes to miles gained against the leaders. They have taken 42nm in the last eight hours. Sadly they will reach the same light winds the leaders are in now.
It will take the pack about 15 more hours to sail the 140nm to ice limit number eight. After which they have the option to sail south again down to a possible 60º S if they are hard enough, however the current routings show a routing of 56º S. Cold enough for any hardened sailor.
Leader: TBRU
Wind speed: 7-15 knots?
Boat speed SOG (15 mins): 8-14 knots?
Wind direction: 278º - 321º?
Lowest boat speed: MAPF, ALVI (8 knots)?
Highest boat speed: DFRT (14 knots)?
Lowest wind speed: ADOR, ALVI (7 knots)?
Highest wind speed: SCA (15 knots)
Position report list
| YACHT |
LAT |
LON |
DATE |
DTL |
DTLC |
avgSOG(3h) |
avgSOG(15') |
TWS |
TWD |
HDG |
| TBRU |
-50.58333 |
-118.48833 |
26/03/15 06:40:00 |
0 |
0.0 |
9 |
10 |
9 |
289 |
59 |
| ADOR |
-50.59247 |
-118.49897 |
26/03/15 06:40:00 |
0.1 |
4.0 |
8.7 |
9 |
7 |
281 |
54 |
| MAPF |
-50.61483 |
-118.55167 |
26/03/15 06:40:00 |
1.1 |
1.0 |
8.7 |
8 |
9 |
278 |
46 |
| ALVI |
-50.66233 |
-118.57583 |
26/03/15 06:40:00 |
2.4 |
-1.0 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
286 |
54 |
| DFRT |
-50.96917 |
-118.9435 |
26/03/15 06:40:00 |
14.5 |
9.0 |
7.6 |
14 |
14 |
310 |
88 |
| SCA1 |
-50.55117 |
-121.38367 |
26/03/15 06:40:00 |
109 |
-1.0 |
5.7 |
12 |
15 |
321 |
127 |
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