Volvo Ocean Race- Race closer than leaderboard suggests - Leg 1, Day 6
by Volvo Ocean Race on 18 Oct 2014
2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race - October 16, 2014. Leg 1 onboard Team Alvimedica. Day 5. Alberto Bolzan (L), Nick Dana (C), and Mark Towill (R) Amory Ross / Team Alvimedica
Despite the leaderboard showing more spread in the fleet, the Predictwind routing function shows that the fist six boats will round Fernando within two hours of each other.
Given that the boats have yet to cross through the Doldrums for the first time, indicates that the race between the seven one-designs is still wide open.
The womens Team SCA has dropped off the back of the fleet and is currently expected to round the turning point of Fernando on the Brazil coast, at least eight hours astern of the race leader.
The race leader, Abu Dhabi - who leads on both the Great Circle route method used by race organizers, and according to the Predictwind routing function. She has about 1784nm in sailing distance to cover heading for the rounding mark - against the least of any of the seven competitors.
In fact the official leaderboard confirms the overall fleet placings, however the margins between the competing boats (with the exception of Team SCA) are slim and the placings would be expected to fluctuate as the race unfolds.
At this point Predictwind is recommending that most boats pass to the west of the Cape Verde islands - even though this represents a substantial change of course for some. For Abu Dhabi, with one course recommendation inside the Cape Verde islands the route is currently 13 hours longer that to the outside (West), although the sailing distance is shorter by 6nm - indicating a shorter distance sailed at a slower speed.
Volvo Ocean Race supplied logs for October 17 & 18, 2014
OCTOBER 18, 2014, 0600 UTC
Latest position report: 0430 UTC
Leader: Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing
Spread of fleet: 58 nautical miles
Wind speed: 20 knots
Wind direction: north-northeast (010º)
Breaking News: Dongfeng Race Team have hit a unidentified object, have broken their rudder and swapped it out. They lost the lead, but 30 minutes after they were back in the game. The Chinese boat is already sailing at 20 knots again. Read Onboard Reporter Yann Riou’s report here.
The fleet continues to gybe south down the West African Coast past small fishing villages and land marks.
MAPFRE has been going the closest to the shore. Since 1800 UTC they gybed in, sometimes getting at close as 0.5 nm to the beach.
Abu Dhabi are now leading but they also reported narrowly missed a net yesterday afternoon. The advantage was it was light so they could take avoiding action.
Other boats to report catching something on their keel are Brunel and Team SCA.
The Dutch boat even had to send a swimmer into the water and dive down to get a strip of rubber from their keel.
Team SCA also showed an irregular track and reported running into a fishing net. This did not help their course and lost more ground to the fleet.
The fleet may not gybe back into the land again as the land curves back in to the east, south of Cape Blanc on the Noudhbou coast.
OCTOBER 17, 2014, 1800 UTC
Latest position report 1730 UTC
Leader: Dongfeng Race Team?
Spread of fleet: 36 nautical miles?
Wind speed: 13-21 knots?
Wind direction: north-northeast?
Boat speed: 12-19 knots
At 0700 UTC, Team SCA gybed towards the coast of the Western Sahara. The rest of the fleet followed – but a couple of hours later.
And that little, subtle time difference explains tonight’s split. Led by Dongfeng, the first six boats are within 11 miles of each other while Team SCA are now 36 miles at the back of the fleet.
So - what’s next for them?
Yesterday, Dongfeng held their lead overnight after heading offshore. But the boats closer to the African coast are now in 20 knots of northerly wind – that’s a good acceleration compared to the lighter sea breeze of the past days.
In these changing wind conditions, will the teams stay close to the shore tonight, or sail away from it?
OCTOBER 17 2014, 0500 UTC
Latest position report 0500 UTC
Leader: Dongfeng Race Team
Spread of fleet: 25.8 nautical miles
Wind speed: 11 knots
Wind direction: northeast
Boat speed: 14 knots
The fleet continues to be closely bunched, sailing as close to the West African coast as possible with Dongfeng Race Team still retaining the overnight lead.
All seven boats were afraid to push out west into the open Atlantic until a more solid wind materializes.
The fleet has been gybing a lot with more place changes then ever before at this stage of the Volvo Ocean Race.
This is intense inshore racing, gybe for gybe with your opposition breathing down your neck 24/7.
Dongfeng made a charge on the lead yesterday by crossing the fleet in more breeze and has maintained that advantage.
The wind average wind has been about 11 knots so giving the teams a chance to dry out.
Dongfeng and SCA are now keeping straight on sailing off the coast in comparison to yesterdays sailing.
At one stage, MAPFRE received a visit from the Spanish army who were doing manoeuvres in the region and a rib with a national flag motored out offshore to cheer on Iker Martínez’s men.
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