Volvo Ocean Race - Another good day for Team Brunel
by Volvo Ocean Race on 23 Mar 2015
Onboard Team Brunel - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 Stefan Coppers/Team Brunel
Volvo Ocean Race - The Dutchies continue to extend their lead over all the boats except Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing who up until the last sched had not lost or gained on the current leg leaders. At 1900 UTC the yellow boat was hammering along at 19 knots, reaching in 16kt of wind.
Abu Dhabi and Team Alvimedica have not quite held the boat speed of Brunel, with Alvimedica having a tighter angle to the wind not allowing them to sail as free as Brunel, and Ian Walker’s crew suffering form a slightly lower wind speed.
We can expect Bouwe Becking’s men to slightly increase their lead in the next position report.
In the next four to five hours, we should see the next hand of cards be dealt as they reach the point of to split of to north. Looking at the different routing options, it shows one option for a northern passage around the current weather system but there are more options for a southern routing with more wind and shorter distance.
It’s an option open to the whole fleet as the north-to-south separation of the fleet is only 50 nautical miles (nm). If there is a gain to be had, 50nm is not too much to make the decision with so long left of this leg.
The boats that continue south towards the ice limits should hit it at the limit number seven and continue east along the boundary until number eight where they can then head southeast once again – unless their strategy changes.
The wind will build over the next 12 hours and should see the boats that continue on into 25kt and a building sea state.
Leader: TBRU
Wind speed: 16 knots
Boat speed SOG (15 mins): 17 knots
Wind direction: 229º - 244º
Lowest boat speed: ALVI (17 knots)
Highest boat speed: ADOR (20 knots)
Lowest wind speed: TBRU (16 knots)
Highest wind speed: ADOR (21 knots
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