Volvo Ocean Race - Fleet sets up for the high-pressure system

by Volvo Ocean Race on 20 Mar 2015

Onboard Dongfeng Race Team - Kevin Escoffier cleaning halyards after a sail change - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 Yann Riou / Dongfeng Race Team

Volvo Ocean Race - As forecast, the wind has started to drop in the last 12 hours and the breeze is now between 15 and 20 knots blowing from the southwest. Average boat speeds are now in the 11-12kt range.

Fleet position - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 © Volvo Ocean Race http://www.volvooceanrace.com

Being the boat farthest north, Team Alvimedica has been grabbing the extra knots of breeze they need to keep leading the way to the east, extending their lead in the last 12 hours.

Onboard Dongfeng Race Team - Action on deck - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 © Yann Riou / Dongfeng Race Team

So now that the teams are not anymore chasing the tail of ex-Cyclone Pam, the strategy ahead consists of dealing with the high-pressure system located southeast of New Zealand that could potentially catch them and reduce their breeze. One of the options is to tack south were they will find stronger breeze.

Onboard Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - Luke Parko Parkinson braces for the next wave as Phil Harmer drives deeper into the Southern Ocean - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 © Matt Knighton/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing

Onboard MAPFRE - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 © Ainhoa Sanchez/Volvo Ocean Race

MAPFRE’s Iker Martínez mentioned this an option in a note he sent earlier.

'We have wind from 160-150º and it is supposed to shift to 120º, so we can start tacking and gain south. Let’s see who gets the shift first and how we do with this situation.'

Onboard Team SCA - Abby Ehler just had a late lunch,preparing for next watch - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 © Anna-Lena Elled/Team SCA

Onboard Team SCA - Wind and big waves. Team SCA are sending it fast and in the right direction - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 © Anna-Lena Elled/Team SCA

In terms of weather, Matt Knighton on Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing describes the new conditions.

'The wind has died to 20 knots and downwind that means we can do between 10-15 knots of boatspeed. The sea state has decreased dramatically and is making the ride relatively comfortable – there aren’t big waves crashing over the deck like yesterday. Still, at night the temperatures are dropping further and you can feel it, we’ve all got layers on and the Gore-tex socks just started to make an appearance.'

Onboard Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - After grabbing several cups of coffee for the guys on deck,Justin Slattery crouches under the protection of the coachroof as another wave comes roaring overhead - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 © Matt Knighton/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing

Onboard Team Alvimedica - A wet and wild existence even in the protected cockpit of a Volvo 6 - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 © Amory Ross / Team Alvimedica

Ice limit changes on March 20:
Leg five Sailing Instructions Amendment seven has been posted and communicated to the boats, with the following changes to ice limits one to 11. Ice limits 12 to 24 have NOT been changed.

55° 00.000'S 150° 00.000'W

55° 00.000'S 145° 00.000'W

55° 00.000'S 140° 00.000'W

54° 30.000'S 135° 00.000'W

54° 0 0.000'S 130° 00.000'W

53 ° 0 0.000'S 125° 00.000'W

51 ° 00.000'S 120° 00.000'W

51 ° 00.000'S 115o 00.000’W

53° 00.000'S 110o 00.000’W

54° 30.000'S 105o 00.000’W

57° 15.000'S 100o 00.000’W

Leader: ALVI
Wind speed: 17 – 23 knots
Boat speed SOG (15 mins): 10 - 12 knots
Wind direction: 142º - 162º
Lowest boat speed: ALVI (10.3 knots)
Highest boat speed: ADOR (11.5 knots)
Lowest wind speed: DFRT (17 knots)
Highest wind speed: ALVI (23 knots)

	DTL (NM)	GAIN/LOSS (NM)	DTF (NM)	Speed (kt)
Team Alvimedica	0	0	5820.5	10
Team Brunel	8.1	1	5828.6	11
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing	22.1	2	5842.6	12
Team SCA	32.3	2	5852.8	11
MAPFRE	33.3	2	5853.8	11
Dongfeng Race Team	37.4	2	5857.9	11
Team Vestas Wind	DID NOT START