Home 09 Jun 2012 If you have trouble reading this email CLICK HERE To respond to this email CLICK HERE Volvo Ocean Race - Newsletter: Leg 7 finish and Stopover - 8 June 2012 Puma Ocean Racing takes third in leg seven - Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12  Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race© Welcome to Sail-World.com's Volvo Ocean Race Newsletter for 8 June 2012 Leg 7 of the Volvo Ocean Race ended unusually. Unusual in that for the last few days of the race, the prognosis from Predictwind had the boats finishing within an hour or two of each other. So unusual was this prediction that we didn't publish it, on the basis that surely something must be wrong – probably operator error. But as the boats lined up across the Atlantic on that last day – it looked like the finish of a beer-can race, rather than a 3,600nm haul across the Atlantic. Predictwind was right. Unusual in that the finish of the race on the River Tagus, at night, and in no wind, is probably not how many imagined such a leg would finish. Day 9 - Pure speed on board Groupama 4 - Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 Leg 7  Yann Riou/Groupama Sailing Team © /Volvo Ocean Race The final outcome of the 39,000nm race could well have swung on the roll of the dice in those last few windless, current filled, metres. When the Volvo Ocean Race started, few were prepared to pick a winner. Now after seven legs are complete that situation hasn't really changed, and the scene is now set for the closest race in the 11 cycle history of the event. Team Telefonica, skippered by Iker Martinez from Spain, narrowly beat CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, skippered by Chris Nicholson from Australia on leg 7, from Miami, USA to Lisbon, Portugal, during the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12. (Credit: PAUL TODD/Volvo Ocean Race)  Paul Todd/Volvo Ocean Race© Four boats remain in contention. Maybe some have a little more of an uphill battle than others. But the delicacy of the outcome of the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race is probably best explained by the results of Camper, currently sitting in fourth place overall and 22pts off the lead. Camper has been on the losing end of three very close finishes. Total combined margin on all three is about five minutes. Had the result gone the other way on all three, Camper would be 15pts the richer and would be in second place at this juncture. Fireworks go off, as Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, skippered by Ian Walker from the UK finish first on Leg 7  Paul Todd/Volvo Ocean Race© The point is that in a fleet that is this closely matched, anything can happen, and the consequences will have a significant impact on the points table, and overall places. From here on, every metre counts. Generally by now, the Volvo Ocean Race has sorted itself out, and the tactic for the overall leader is very much steady as she goes. But that tactic won't work in June 2012. There are no safe options, and the last two legs will have to be sailed just as hard as the opening stanzas. The fleet hoist their kites, during the practice race in Lisbon, during the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12.   Paul Todd/Volvo Ocean Race© It could well be that the result is in doubt right up to the end of the final In Port race in Galway in just four weeks time on July 7. 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. Groupama Sailing Team skipper Franck Cammas from France, is interviewed after finishing second, on leg 7, from Miami, USA to Lisbon, Portugal  Ian Roman/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 Puma has a wet ride - Volvo Ocean Race  Paul Todd © Volvo Ocean Race: Every point vital from Race Weekend in Lisbon Volvo Ocean Race, A four-way scrap for overall honours and a three-way tie in the inshore series are set to light up Saturday's Oeiras In-Port Race in Lisbon (starting 1300 local, 1200 UTC) 24 hours before the teams set out on the penultimate offshore leg to Lorient.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Damian Foxall: consistency is the key to victory Volvo Ocean Race, In the final part of the series on the most experienced sailors in the Volvo Ocean Race, Groupama watch captain Damian Foxall reveals to the Volvo Ocean race media team, what it will take to win this race, and why victory has never been so close.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Tom Addis - It's all about the little details Volvo Ocean Race, He's masterminded two leg wins for Puma, and in the third of a series with some of the most experienced Volvo Ocean Race sailors, navigator Tom Addis tells Volvo Ocean Race's media team what the Puma team have up their sleeves for the closing stages.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Rob Salthouse - We've got nothing to lose Volvo Ocean Race, In the second of the series, the Volvo Ocean race media team talk with some of the most experienced sailors in the Volvo Ocean Race, here they catch up with three-time competitor Rob Salthouse, helmsman/trimmer on fourth-placed Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Neal McDonald - It's going down to the wire Volvo Ocean Race, With just two legs and three in-port races to go, four teams are still in the running for the overall prize. Volvo Ocean Race's media team talk to some of the most experienced contenders as they prepare for the decisive final few weeks. First up: Neal McDonald of Team Telefónica.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Penultimate offshore test Volvo Ocean race, The penultimate offshore test for the Volvo Ocean Race fleet starts on Sunday. Despite its relative shortness, Leg 8 is shaping up to test the crews in a variety of ways with key factors likely to be the location of the Azores High and the possibility of finding a volatile low pressure system on the way back.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Closest ever race develops into a four way battle Volvo Ocean Race, Two legs, 2,500 miles and three inshore sprints will decide the closest ever Volvo Ocean Race – and with four boats in with a shot of winning, points have never been more crucial. Never in the 39-year history of the Volvo Ocean Race have four boats been in with a realistic chance of winning with just around 10 days of offshore sailing left to go.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race – Groupama cross Leg 7 finish in second Franck Cammas, Volvo Ocean Race – By finishing second, a little over five minutes behind Abu Dhabi, Franck Cammas and his men sailed a superb seventh leg, which has enabled them to move up into the lead of the overall standing. Extremely intense throughout the 3,590-mile course between Miami and Lisbon, this leg confirms the determination of the crew of Groupama 4... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race – Puma cross Leg 7 finish in third Lisa Ramsperger, Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 team Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg returned to the podium with a third-place finish into Lisbon, Portugal, early Friday morning to complete Leg 7. The Puma crew made the more than 3,500 nautical mile transatlantic crossing from Miami, Florida, to Lisbon in 11 days, six hours, 26 minutes and 51 seconds.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Tortuous night for Camper Stefano Blin, In the Volvo Ocean Race, the next 24 hours will deliver a tense end to Leg 7, the crew will have battled over 4,800 miles and it may just come down to the last hundred. This 'anything but normal' Atlantic crossing has proved to be a twisted road for the fleet, and last night was one of the most tortuous for Camper as they crossed the ridge of high pressure.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Pressure mounts in fight for first Volvo Ocean Race, In the Volvo Ocean Race, with 33 nautical miles to go to the finish of Leg 7 of the in Lisbon, Groupama (Franck Cammas/FRA) are piling the pressure on Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR), who are now fighting to retain their lead. Winning this leg, with Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) finishing in their current position, would also hand Cammas and his men the overall race lead with two legs to... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Abu Dhabi wins Leg 7 + Video Sail-World, She crossed the line in light winds, followed by Groupama, with Puma third. The next group to finish were Camper, Telefonica and Sanya. The information systems at Volvo Ocean Race have all seem to have got major technical issues or are inoperative.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race Leg 7 - Victory still possible for Groupama 4 Franck Cammas, Volvo Ocean Race - Free of the high pressure offshore of Portugal, Groupama 4 has her sights on the finish line in front of the Belem Tower, just a few miles shy of the Emirati leader. The results of this final sprint in a good northerly breeze should be decided in the Tagus River at nightfall. Victory is still possible and second place is highly probable.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Puma's Mar Mostro not out of the woods + Video Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 11 of Leg 7. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: The power of the jinx is a dangerous thing. There are things I might normally say, progress updates and enthusiastic hunches I might ideally give, but I don't want to jinx this thing, not even a little bit.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Camper looking to close the gap Stefano Blin, In the Volvo Ocean Race, Rob ‘Salty' Salthouse is eyeing the chance to close the gap on the leading pack on Leg 7, despite seeing his Camper team slip back down a compressing fleet in conditions less favourable to their boat. The Camper yacht, currently lying in fifth place, excels in downwind sailing rather than the current hard-reaching conditions that is benefiting rivals Telefónica and... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Groupama snatch second place Franck Cammas, Volvo Ocean Race team Groupama 4 have moved into second place on the tenth day of racing in the seventh leg from Miami to Lisbon. A day and a half from the scheduled finish on Thursday evening, the fleet is having to confront a zone of calms which it is impossible to avoid. This passage of some one hundred miles or so could well reshuffle the cards as the deficits have been slowly shrinking since... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Small victories for Puma's Mar Mostro Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 10 of Leg 7. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: Five hundred miles to go and this race is only getting closer. Not exactly a surprise – we knew everyone was going to compress again – but what is a surprise is the kind of day we had yesterday: it was slow, sloww, slowww.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Lightning fast reactions on board Camper + Video Stefano Blin, In the Volvo Ocean Race today, there has been a period of quick reactions on board Camper, the Spanish New Zealand entry currently racing in Leg 7 from Miami to Lisbon. First thing this morning, skipper Chris Nicholson lost control of the steering while doing 24 knots when one of the steering cables jumped off the cogs of the starboard steering wheel.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Keeping it together onboard Puma's Mar Mostro Ken Read, Volvo Ocean Race Leg 7, day 9. Skipper Ken Read reports from onboard Puma's Mar Mostro. You know what the best part of this race has been so far? The fact that this crew, without exception, still laughs at each others' jokes and seems to hit it off as if it was day one of the program.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Fast and fun onboard Puma's Mar Mostro Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 9 of Leg 7. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: One thousand miles to go, and what a thousand miles it is shaping up to be. The last 24 hours have been fast and fun, but they've seen a continued compression of the fleet front to back... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: The van of the fleet closes on the fading falcon Sail-World and Volvo Ocean Race, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's Leg 7 lead was being steadily eroded on Monday, as the chasing pack lined up along an easterly moving cold front bringing strong winds. Up to 90 nautical miles ahead of their nearest rivals at one point, Ian Walker's Emirati team have been steadily losing ground as the new weather system brings the rest of the fleet up to them at average speeds over 20 knots.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Groupama gain precious miles Franck Cammas, Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 fleet is racking up some great speeds again, with the arrival of a solid south-westerly breeze ahead of a front, and will be able to devour the next 1,000 miles in less than 48 hours! Behind the Emirati leader, the chasing group has lined itself up along the same longitude, bound for the North of the Azores.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: A drag race to Lisbon - but will Azzam last? Sail-World and Volvo Ocean Race, Abu Dhabi rocketed across the Atlantic overnight at speeds more than three knots quicker than their nearest rivals, notching up 338 nautical miles in 24 hours, while Team Sanya have shown a similar turn of pace and jumped to fourth.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Stood up on a date but not for long Hamish Hooper, Hamish Hooper blogs from on board Camper mid-Atlantic in the Volvo Ocean Race: Like being stood up on a date, the wind we had been expecting all day didn't arrive- well, until much later in the afternoon. But what's worse it was like the date ran off with another man- bloody Abu Dhabi!... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race - Anything's possible onboard Puma's Mar Mostro Amory Ross, Volvo Ocean Race, Day 7 of Leg 7. Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg, reports on the crew's progress: Getting a sunburn where we are now is probably a lot harder than yesterday made it seem, but when you spend the majority of the day laying on the bow – as we did – just about anything's possible.... [more] Share this story Volvo Ocean Race: Andrew Cape - 'The big decider will be today' Sail-World and Volvo Ocean Race, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing clawed their way back into the Leg 7 lead on Saturday as the six-boat Volvo Ocean Race fleet fought to position themselves for what could be a leg deciding 24 hours, with light winds from a high pressure system slowing them down. By 1300 UTC, Abu Dhbai had pulled out a 20-nautical mile lead which skipper Ian Walker put down to smart thinking from navigator Jules Salter.... [more] Share this story 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race 01/01/10 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race... 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