Fisher's View- Clock ticks, tension mounts ahead of Volvo OR start
by Bob Fisher on 12 Oct 2014
October 11, 2014. The fleet at the start of Leg 1 David Ramos / Volvo Ocean Race
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Alicante, Saturday – A bright and sunny day has brought huge crowds to the Race Village to bid the seven boats and the 59 sailors 'Bon Voyage' at the start of the first and longest leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2013 – 14, the twelfth in the series of races that began with the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973.
As the clocks tick away, the tension mounts – the crews line up on the dock, close to where their boats are moored in order that they can be presented to the usual parade of local dignitaries and race officials. Once the formalities were over, shortly before noon, the crews boarded their boats, having previously loaded their restricted (every ounce counts) personal gear and other essentials for what is expected to be a 24 day passage to Cape Town.
And there is to be rather more than a parade away from the start - there is an eight-mile course around five buoys in Alicante Bay before they are release into the Mediterranean for the 300-mile leg to the Straits of Gibraltar, which in the forecast light winds could take two whole days, but there are some late predictions of a storm on Sunday night.
The seven competing yachts were led from their dockside berths by the latest entry, Vestas, with Chris Nicholson steering his charge off to the wide ocean just ahead of Iker Martinez with Mapfre, whose supporters in their bright red wigs were collectively the noisiest in town, but hardly surprising as this is a local boat. Next to leave was the American/Turkish entry Alvimedica, steered by Charlie Enright.
There was much Chinese activity with the going of Dongfeng – Kung-fu dancers wishing the craft and crew well as Charles Caudrelier took the wheel. Then it was the turn of Brunel and skipper Bouwe Bekking off on his seventh race to match the record of Sweden’s Roger Nillson (seen on the dockside this morning). This time, pre-race, Bekking was joint favourite to win with next away, Ian Walker, with the Abu Dhabi entry Azzam.
Last away was the all-girl crew of SCA. There were three extra crew members (over the men’s teams) – an allowance granted by the race organizer to make up for their relative lack of strength. Skipper Sam Davies was seen earlier saying goodbye to here three-year old son Reuben. SCA received a special cheer from all the women lining the dock.
The start was closely fought with course almost close hauled on Starboard tack. Bekking in Brunel, starting close to the leeward end was able to use his position to squeeze his opponents away, but Sam Davies in SCA was able to hang on and round the first mark in second place, just ahead of Azzam with Alvimedica fourth. They went off on the next short leg, holding their positions.
But the next leg saw considerable place shifting as SCA gambled on holding a Code Zero on the leg, but lost as a result and had to tack along with the rest and slipped to fourth.
Ian Walker in Azzam and Bekking in Brunel then went at each other, but put distance between them and the other five boat with Brunel leading Azzam by six seconds as they left the closed course for the Mediterranean followed by Mapfre, Alvimedica, Dongfeng, SCA and Vestas whose attempt to hold a Genniker proved very costly.
Cape Town is 6,847 miles away and includes a crossing of the Equator, which will require the crews to pay their respects to Father Neptune in order to guarantee a safe passage – woe betide first-timers who will suffer indignities to alleviate Neptune in order to allow their crossing. It will be the one light moment for the rest of the members of the crew on this leg.
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