Volvo Ocean Race - Cape Town Stopover
| It's Camper into the open ocean! |
| Saturday, 05 November 2011 16:04 |
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South African Mike Pammenter works the bow as Camper blast away. IAN ROMAN / VOLVO OCEAN RACE The fleet of the 2011/12 Volvo Ocean Race are on their way to Cape Town. Chris Nicholson’s CAMPER were the fastest of the six away, as winds gusting up to 30 knots greeted the fleet. CAMPER increased their lead over PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG to 1 minute 39 seconds at the Alicante leaving mark at the end of the eight-nm course, with Team Telefónica another 36 seconds behind. Abu Dhabi came next, followed by Groupama sailing team, who took a voluntary two-turn penalty following a collision with PUMA’s Mar Mostro just before the start, and Team Sanya. The South African Ambassador to Spain, Fikile Magubane, attended the start to wish the crews ‘bon voyage’, and he would have enjoyed the sight of a South African aboard the leading boat as they left the Alicante course. Magubane had enjoyed the occasion - “I am pleased to attend the Leg Start of the Volvo Ocean Race from Alicante to Cape Town on 5 November 2011”. “The Volvo Ocean Race is undeniably one of the premier yachting events in the World; testing the very limits of human endeavour and courage. I am excited that the Volvo Ocean Race has included Cape Town as a leg in this prestigious race and I know that South African’s will be delighted to welcome these courageous sailors to our shores”. “I wish the all the competitors fair winds and a safe journey!” Groupama have been touted as favourites by many observers, and they will be looking to make up lost ground. “Our skills are offshore for sure,” said Cammas, skipper of the first French team to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race in 18 years. “We are in this race for the first time so we need to learn a few things. It’s important to finish the first 24 hours in good shape because the race is very long and we don’t want to break anything early on. The first night could be the hardest of the whole leg.” The teams will have to face a baptism of fire in the first 24 hours of the race, with head-on winds of more than 25 knots forecast and choppy seas – potentially boat-breaking conditions. “The conditions at first will be ideal for these boats – fast sailing in fresh breeze,” said Gonzalo Infante, the Volvo Ocean Race’s chief meteorologist. “But within about 12 hours, as the boats race into the night, they will have to punch upwind into winds around 25 knots and confused seas. These boats will be slamming around and it will be very wet on deck.” Rounding positions and provisional times at the Alicante leaving mark: 1. CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand 39 minutes 44 seconds, 2. PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG +1 min 39 sec, 3. Team Telefónica + 2:15, 4. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing + 2:55, 5. Groupama sailing team + 3:57, 6. Sanya +7:38 |
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Volvo Ocean Race Podcast
Jeff Ayliffe had an exclusive chat to PUMA Ocean Racing's skipper Ken Read today. When they last chatted, Ken was hoping to be back for the Volvo Ocean race 2011, but they had not confirmed. The team are are not only back, but have experienced a transatlantic victory aboard the new boat 'Mar Mostro', and Read told Jeff he was delighted to preparing for Alicante and the start of Volvo Ocean race action
- Volvo Ocean Race Cape Town
Team Camper’s South African crewman is Michael Pammenter, who sailed with Telefonica Black in 2008. Michael caught up with Jeff Ayliffe just after the boat Was being transported to New Zealand.
- Volvo Ocean Race Cape Town
Puma Ocean Racing’s Jono Swain is the 2nd of 3 South Africans in this years Volvo Ocean race. He chatted to Jeff Ayliffe about sleeping patterns and life aboard a Volvo open 70
- Volvo Ocean Race Cape Town
Capetonian Paul Wilcox is part of Abu Dhabi Racing in the Volvo Ocean Race, and he was chatting to Jeff Ayliffe shortly after the team pulled off a win in the Transnet after a close battle with Groupama.
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