Home 26 May 2012 If you have trouble reading this email CLICK HERE To respond to this email CLICK HERE Volvo Ocean Race - Newsletter: Leg 7 start and Midway - 26 May 2012 Kelvin Harrap drives under growing thunderclouds in typical Gulf Stream conditions capable of generating squalls. Onboard Puma during leg 7 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Miami, USA to Lisbon, Portugal.   Amory Ross/Puma Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race© Welcome to Sail-World.com's Volvo Ocean Race Newsletter for 26 May 2012 Leg 7 of the Volvo Ocean Race is well underway, having started last Sunday in Miami, Florida. Following from the close finish to Leg 6, Leg 7 has developed into a cracker, with numerous lead changes, and the lead boats clearly more intent on match racing than gambling their chances on a break out. Initially the race looked to be developing into a procession, however Camper's move from last place into first a day or so ago, chopping back a deficit of about 80nm, got fans onto the edges of their seats, as the competitors tacked their way across the Atlantic. The reality if Leg 7 is that no boat can afford to drop places, and vital overall race points, through a gamble which doesn't pay off. Team Sanya, skippered by Mike Sanderson from New Zealand, chasing the fleet in light winds, at the start of leg 7 from Miami, USA to Lisbon, Portugal, during the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12.   Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race© The lesson of Leg 6 seems to have been again applied in Leg 7, where the crews realised that they had to go back to some basic two boat testing processes, if they were to avoid being rolled by a competitor. The current issue is an area of light winds between the fleet and the finish line in Lisbon, Portugal - about five days away. Tom Addis and Ken Read contemplate weather and strategy from the nav station. Onboard Puma during leg 7 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Miami, USA to Lisbon, Portugal.   Amory Ross/Puma Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race© The reaction of the weather routing programs is to tell the navigators to head north, get in a stronger breeze, and then head east for Lisbon. But that involves taking away from the mark, so to speak, and of course a boat that elects to break east before the others, and gets into the breeze, will be away. Latest wind projections have it that the fleet will be in very light winds for 12 hours, and then it is back to the double digit speeds. Puma to the north, enjoys better breezes and faster speeds than Camper - Leg 7 26 May, 2011/12 Volvo Ocean Race  Virtual Eye/Volvo Ocean Race If you want a new view on the race check out the action via the new 3D graphic tracker from Virtual Eye. This was allows the viewer to fly around the Volvo fleet in a virtual helicopter - so you can be anywhere from high above the fleet to get the overall perspective, or dropped right on the stern of one of the boats to get a perspective of what lies ahead in terms of boats and land masses. One of the many great features is the ability to see the instrument displays on the boats - so that experienced sailing fans can get a real 'seat of the pants' feel for the action and what is going to happen next. Look at the difference in the boat speeds (top read-out) in the graphic above - sailing 4kts faster even for a few hours, makes a big difference in a fleet as close as this one. Some dramatic course changes have taken place over the past 12 hours on the Volvo Ocean Race, Leg 7 - May 25, 2012 at 1300hrs UTC  PredictWind.com Of course, nothing can forecast the weather and winners in the same way that the routing function of Predictwind is able, and we are running both when the going gets close in the Leg – which so far has been for most of it. Another new feature of this leg is the updated Livestream coverage which you can follow by new.livestream.com/volvooceanrace/Leg7!by_clicking_here. Livestream allows you to see skipper interviews, live and uncut, plus links to the latest updates. Stay tuned to www.sail-world.com for the latest Volvo Ocean Race news, updated on a 24x7 basis by our editorial team around the world. We never sleep. Ryan Godfrey watches the fleet advance from onboard Puma during leg 7 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Miami, USA to Lisbon, Portugal.   Amory Ross/Puma Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race© Good sailing! Richard Gladwell Editor@Large If you wish to see Sail-World's complete Volvo OR coverage, go to www.sail-world.com - and click on the Volvo Ocean Race button in the top header bar, you'll see all stories for all regions from this exciting race - all updated as the race unfolds. To subscribe a friend to Sail-World's FREE newsletter click here If you wish to come off our mailing list please click the unsubscribe button on this newsletter, or drop a line to deletesailworld@gmail.com or call (+649) 489 9267 Stay up with the latest sailing news, as it happens, on our website www.sail-world.com Adriana De Moura from Real Housewives of Miami riding on the back of Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand, skippered by Chris Nicholson from Australia, in theIn-Port Race, during the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12.   Paul Todd/Outside Images © Volvo Ocean Race - Puma's Mar Mostro slams upwind + Video Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 6 of Leg 7. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress:... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Tack Fests and Turtles as Leg 7 reaches crucial mark Volvo Ocean Race, In a sea state that is horrible and air that is cold, the six-boat Volvo fleet is enduring something of a tack fest as they battle to keep with the Gulf Stream, thrashing their way around the fringe of the pesky high pressure centre. The fleet is experiencing 60 degree wind shifts with massive changes in velocity.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Routing options galore to get across the Atlantic Sail-World and Volvo Ocean Race, Camper pulled off an incredible mid-leg comeback on Friday shooting from last place into the lead in less than 48 hours, while overall race leaders Telefónica slipped down the rankings after being snared in light winds. Just two days ago, Camper more than 80 miles behind the leaders, struggling to get back into the race. But clever tactics from Nicholson and navigator Will Oxley saw Camper c... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Stranglehold in jeopardy Sophie Luther, In the Volvo Ocean Race at 1900 GMT, Chris Nicholson's Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand's stranglehold on Ian Walker's Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing was in jeopardy as Walker's team closed to within 4.9 nautical miles, while Telefónica, although in third place, remained disconnected from the fleet, 50 miles to the south.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Groupama 4 attack upwind conditions Franck Cammas, Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 team Groupama 4 has conceded some ground on the fifth day of racing in leg seven, following a climatic upset offshore of Newfoundland: the formation of a zone of high pressure over the Labrador Current is generating a north-easterly headwind, which has modified the strategic tone of the race.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Amazing turnaround for Camper Lucy Harwood, Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 team Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand, in an amazing turnaround midway on Leg 7 from Miami to Lisbon, stormed to the front of the fleet on Friday having been last 48 hours earlier. The decision to abandon their southern position and take a more northerly track paid dividends as they left previous frontrunners Telefonica and Groupama in their slipstream.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Frustrating sailing for Puma's Mar Mostro Ken Read, Volvo Ocean Race Leg 7, day five. Skipper Ken Read reports from on board Puma's Mar Mostro: This is strange. Not just the guys on board (pretty weird) or the route we take (sailing straight into a Tropical Storm after the start – not too bright). The strange part is the weather and the route and the fact that every time we leave the dock it seems like we say, 'It is never like this out here.'... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Leaders set to zigzag to Lisbon Sail-World and Volvo Ocean Race, In a reshuffle of the leaderboard overnight, Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) lost the lead to Ian Walker's Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing on Leg 7 of the Volvo Ocean Race. At 0100 GMT on Friday, Abu Dhabi took pole position when it became clear that the northerly course would pay as the six-boat fleet picked its way through the minefield of high pressure. Waiting on the other side is some exciting downwind... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Puma's Mar Mostro claws back Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 5 of Leg 7. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: Whatttaleg eh? Just when things look to be settled, just when places and positions look to be secured for a little while, you have a day like yesterday that turns everything on its head.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: North or East? That is the Question. Sail-World and Volvo Ocean Race, Overall race leaders Team Telefónica extended their Leg 7 advantage to nine nautical miles on Thursday, as a pair of high pressure systems threatened to create a north-south split in the fleet. However at 1300 UTC both Telefónica and second placed Groupama were being closed down by rapidly charging third and fourth placed Abu Dhabi and Puma, 18 and 21 nautical miles (nm) behind respectively. Fi... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Drastic change of heart for Groupama 4 Vincent Borde, In Leg 7 of the Volvo Ocean Race, the front ultimately rolled through faster than Groupama 4. As such, Franck Cammas and his men have had a drastic change of heart and are now gunning hard northwards, in the wake of the Spanish leaders. A way through to the East no longer seems to be a possibility and so it is that the French boat, like the rest of the fleet, is trying to escape the encroaching... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Puma's Mar Mostro trampled Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 4 of Leg 7. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: To expand on yesterday's horse race analogy, this part of the track was like turn 2 – the setup before the backstretch. Well, turn 2 was unkind and we got trampled.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Lesson learned for Puma skipper + Video Ken Read, Volvo Ocean Race Leg 7, day three. Skipper Ken Read reports from on board Puma's Mar Mostro: North American sailing has taught me something this past week. The Miami experience was bitter sweet for sure. Great to be back in the States, sad to leave 'home' at the end and head back out to sea.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Camper slides to the back of the fleet + Video Volvo Ocean Race, Camper lost precious miles on Wednesday evening, giving up their southerly position to dodge an area of light wind as Telefónica closed to within two miles of Leg 7 frontrunners Groupama. Chris Nicholson's men on Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand had been following a course 50 miles south west of Groupama sailing team but were forced to head north to avoid a ridge of high pressure that woul... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Telefónica close in on Groupama 4 Franck Cammas, Whilst Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 team Groupama 4 is still leading in the seventh leg, from Miami to Lisbon, they are having to keep an eye on Telefonica, to leeward, Puma astern and Camper to windward... However, the main focus is on being the first to hook onto the front, which is just ahead of their bow.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Balancing act onboard Puma's Mar Mostro Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 3 of Leg 7. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: This leg must be hard to interpret from home. While it looks simple enough – we're all taking a fairly direct route from Miami to Lisbon – little nuances in approach have us spread all over the ocean north to south and nobody seems to have much of a lead or a deficit... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Camper - The turtle and the hare + Video Hamish Hooper, Hamish Hooper blogs from on board Camper: Today is World Turtle day - a couple of times in the past few days when we have been held up it definitely felt like we were the tortoise and all of the other boats the hare in the fabled tortoise and hare race. Perhaps come to think about it, it doesn't seem like such a bad thing, as the tortoise always seemed to win the race...... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Winds ease as Groupama's lead narrows + Video Volvo Ocean Race, In the Volvo Ocean Race, a semblance of normality returned to the fleet on Tuesday after 24 hours of chaotic action for the teams as they fought to second guess the volatile tropical storm Alberto. Franck Cammas' crew on Groupama read the weather scenario to perfection at the start of Leg 7 from Miami to Lisbon, gybing away from the storm earliest before setting off on a blistering downwind ride... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Groupama avoid worst of tropical storm Alberto Franck Cammas, Whilst Volvo Ocean Race team Groupama 4 is holding onto pole position in the seventh leg, from Miami to Lisbon, thanks to an early gybe in the tropical storm Alberto, the weather situation across the Atlantic isn't offering up any opportunities for the fleet: everyone is on the same course in a moderate southerly breeze, awaiting a potential opening in a couple of days.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Life is wet onboard Puma's Mar Mostro Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 2 of Leg 7. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: I got an email from a friend today that asked how we were doing, what we were up to? The only honest reply I could think of was odd: 'Doing great, thanks. Chasing what's left of a named tropical storm and going fast towards Portugal.' Tis an interesting life we lead.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Puma leave Miami on a high note + Video Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 1 of Leg 7. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress. There are not many day one's left between here and Galway. But here we go again, one day closer to the end of this very long race. As we leave Miami for Portugal there are several things that come to mind:... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race Leg 7 restart images by Leighton O'Conner Leighton O'Connor images, Volvo Ocean Race Leg 7 restart images from photographer Leighton O'Conner... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Puma's Mar Mostro leaves Miami for Leg 7 start Lisa Ramsperger, Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 team Puma's Mar Mostro is off across the Atlantic Ocean with the start of Leg 7 from Miami, Florida, USA to Lisbon, Portugal. The Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg crew rounded the buoys in Miami to complete the six-leg inshore loop and headed out for the offshore portion of the leg in the fifth position, with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing leading the fleet.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Groupama exits Miami for Leg 7 start Vincent Borde, In the Volvo Ocean Race, with a stormy situation over Florida, Leg 7 between Miami and Lisbon kicked off amid a very light and fickle breeze. Franck Cammas and his men managed to extract themselves from this meteorological magma astern of Abu Dhabi after a preliminary course of nearly two hours! And even though there are a lot of miles to cover before the crews reach Lisbon, it's very important to... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Leg 7 starts from Miami as tropical storm looms Volvo Ocean Race, The Volvo Ocean Race fleet headed out of Miami and directly towards a tropical storm on Sunday after making a slow start to Leg 7, potentially one of the most critical stages of the 39,000 nautical mile marathon. With a gentle breeze blowing off Miami's famous South Beach it was Ian Walker's Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, winners of Saturday's Port Miami In-Port Race, who lead around the six-mile course... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Another InPort clanger costs Telefonica dearly Sail-World and Volvo Ocean Race, Overall race leaders Team Telefónica are lamenting their second successive in-port race loss at the hands of a simple error that racing veteran Neal McDonald described as heartbreaking. The error has cost the overall points leader dearly on the overall points table. Their once comfortable lead has now been cut to just seven points ahead of Groupama... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - 11th hour comeback as Miami heat rises Sophie Luther, In the Volvo Ocean Race, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing launched an eleventh hour comeback in the Miami In-Port Race to take their tally of in-shore successes to three, while Groupama scored a strong second to pile the pressure on overall race leaders Telefónica. Ian Walker's crew were rewarded for sailing a near-perfect race on Saturday when they snatched the lead from Groupama on the penultimate leg and... [more] Share this story 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race 01/01/10 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race... For more details and news for this event, go to: http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?Eid=1359 Click HERE to give us your feed-back. If you don't wish to receive any more Sail-World.com Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2011 news, just a single click here and you won't.