Volvo Ocean Race – Nip and tuck racing ahead to the finish in Auckland
by Rob Kothe & the Sail-World Team on 27 Feb 2015
Team Alvimedica - Fast upwind sailing towards Auckland - Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 Amory Ross / Team Alvimedica
Volvo Ocean Race 2015 – Ian Walker’s crew on Azzam is almost leveled with the northern tip of New Zealand, and has managed to keep a small amount of separation from the Dongfeng Race Team and MAPFRE, all separated by 3-5 nautical miles north to south and within 10nm east to west. Now its time for the reverse Coastal race
At 0600 UTC Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing was showing they had had a 3-knot decrease in wind from 11 to kts. Looking at the GRIBs, this is the easing wind they have been predicting.
20nm separate Bouwe Bekking’s crew on Team Brunel and Sam Davie’s crew on Team SCA laterally, but only about 5nm north-south. This is the number which counts most: the all-female crew are to the west with the Dutch team slightly ahead and to the east.
At the moment we expect the Emiratis to be at Cape Brett around dawn local time, which is just over 100nm from the finish in Auckland. In the meantime, Charles Caudrelier and Xabi Fernández’ crews will be doing everything they can to keep it close and make the most from whatever comes their way.
They will be sailing down the north islands shoreline to Cape Brett during the night, which makes it unlikely there will be much of a thermal influence on the wind close to shore. But the remaining 100nm in to Auckland will be in daylight so the inshore passage using the bays could all come in to play – as we have seen before when the racing gets close to land.
The Turkish-American crew skippered by Charlie Enright is 60nm ahead of the yellow boat Team Brunel and 30nm behind Dongfeng Race Team. Unfortunately for them all they can hope for is that the light winds compress the fleet enough to put them in a tactical decision distance of the leaders such as some land effect or a wind shift. Otherwise it’s going to be a lonely few hours heading to the finish.
Arrivals are coming up – don’t miss the action!
If you’re in Auckland – come down to the Viaduct Harbour to welcome the sailors after three weeks at sea!
Current Estimated Time of Arrival: Saturday, February 28 (0800 - 1200 UTC)
Leader: ADOR
Wind speed: 8 knots
Boat speed SOG (15 mins): 12 knots
Wind direction: 063º - 089º
Lowest boat speed: ADOR (12 knots)
Highest boat speed: ALL OTHERS (13 knots)
Lowest wind speed: ADOR (8 knots)
Highest wind speed: SCA, BRUN (14 knots)
Position report list
| YACHT |
LAT |
LON |
DATE |
DTL |
DTLC |
avgSOG(3h) |
avgSOG(15') |
TWS |
TWD |
HDG |
| ADOR |
-34.042 |
173.87233 |
27/02/15 06:40:00 |
0 |
0 |
11.2 |
12 |
8 |
82 |
171 |
| DFRT |
-33.95017 |
173.95017 |
27/02/15 06:40:00 |
4 |
2 |
11.8 |
13 |
10 |
77 |
169 |
| MAPF |
-33.90767 |
174.0835 |
27/02/15 06:40:00 |
4.7 |
2 |
11.8 |
13 |
12 |
63 |
168 |
| ALVI |
-33.53217 |
173.67783 |
27/02/15 06:40:00 |
32.1 |
6 |
13.2 |
13 |
10 |
73 |
163 |
| TBRU |
-32.43698 |
173.31675 |
27/02/15 06:40:00 |
100.2 |
5 |
13 |
13 |
14 |
81 |
162 |
| SCA1 |
-32.3535 |
172.85817 |
27/02/15 06:40:00 |
112.8 |
2 |
11.8 |
13 |
14 |
89 |
157 |
| VEST |
-16.80497 |
59.57544 |
29/11/14 21:40:00 |
- |
- |
- |
No Data |
No Data |
No Data |
No Data |
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