Volvo Ocean Race- Team SCA has a 'pull through day' off the Canaries

by Team SCA on 21 Jul 2014

Sophie and Liz work together as a team to rig up the correct sail for sailing down wind - Team SCA - Around Canaries 2014 Team SCA

Team Alvimedica and Team Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing have completed their second Trans-Atlantic crossings, and in the Canary Islands, Team SCA, Team Brunel, and Team Campos are engaged in the Around Canary Island Race - a 650nm trip around the Canary Islands.

Team SCA is the first all-female crew to enter the race in more than a decade

Here's Team SCA's latest blog from the Around Canary Island Race:

Liz grabs a bit of rest while she can. Here she is having a quick snooze on the stack while Team SCA sails slowly at 4 knots; we eventually got through the transition zone and were screaming along at 25 knots - Team SCA - Around Canaries 2014 © Team SCA

Today Team SCA had the most epic of 'pull throughs'.

My mum has this parking technique called a 'pull through.' A pull through is when you chose your ideal spot because you move through one parking spot to the next. I've never liked this technique. Until today, when Team SCA had the most epic of pull throughs.

As expected, the Volvo Ocean 65 fleet hit the game changing transition zones today. As Sam said yesterday: we have a very thought out plan, we are sticking to it, and seeing the benefits with the correct calls on manoeuvres, plus the other two teams have been making similar, but delayed decisions.

Sophie receives a bit of a debrief from Libby on the weather, navigation, and location of Team Brunel and Team Campos - Team SCA - Around Canaries 2014 © Team SCA

We sat most of the morning in the first parking lot. Then a small puff turned into a big gust, then into a steady 20+knots and soon enough we were hooting and hollering along at 23-25 knots boat speed. Our wet convertible was at full throttle and the girls had the biggest smiles. 'This is why we are here!' Sophie exclaimed. Abby described it as, 'amazing, wet, fast, and wonderful'.

Needless to say it felt excellent to get the boat up to these high speeds, and rewarding once we slowed to 11 knots in the lee of El Hierro Island (the next parking lot) and we saw that Team Campos was stuck sailing at four knots. Team SCA pulled through one parking spot, accelerated to top speeds, into the next parking spot and out again virtually unscathed and ready for a night of tacks, gybes, and intense racing against Team Campos.

Abby and Justine dig deep during a sail manoeuvre on Sunday on board Team SCA during the Around Canaries race against Team Brunel and Team Campos - Team SCA - Around Canaries 2014 © Team SCA

Carolijn explained that we are playing a game here, one of tactics and navigation. While we sailed close to land and played the acceleration zones that come off the land (even though it's been stop-go-stop-go), Team Campos took a major gamble to sail offshore as the lee of an island can reach hundreds of miles.

We've ended up within two miles of each other and we are both seriously sending it home. It's a night not to be forgotten: no sleep but racing hard against another Volvo Ocean 65. This is what it's all about!

See more at: http://teamsca.com/blog