Volvo Ocean Race - Cape Town Stopover
| The fleet seperates as Sanya announce Leg retirement |
| Tuesday, 08 November 2011 07:35 |
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Rome Kirby, the youngest sailor in the race, catches a quick nap after a long night. Image Amory Ross / Puma / Volvo Ocean Race Team Sanya have announced their retirement from Leg 1, after sustaining serious hull damage on the port side near the bow. The team will now weigh up all options before making a decision on the way forward. A possible option is to get the vessel to Cape Town for repairs ahead of leg 2. In the Atlantic meanwhile, the fleet have seperated, with a very interesting situation developing. Telefónica with Spanish skipper Iker Martinez and PUMA’s Mar Mostro with Ken Read/USA in charge have opted for a more offshore track, anticipating the wind filling in from the north, while new leader tonight, Franck Cammas/FRA (Groupama 4) and Chris Nicholson/AUS (CAMPER) have chosen to keep closer to the African coast. Progress is painfully slow, although in the last three hours Groupama 4 has averaged the best speed of 6.7 knots; while the rest of the fleet has only managed three and a half to four knots. The crew Mar Mostro, who are busy drying out their gear, resting and eating – the first time since the start of the race from Alicante on Saturday, appreciates the bonus of little or no wind at least for the moment. Boots have been swapped for sailing shoes, but this may only be a temporary solution as forecasts indicate that the breeze will increase tonight and then two additional cold fronts could bring breeze of 20-30 knots and yet more upwind boat-beating conditions. Changes to the leader board this evening have seen Groupama 4 take the lead for the first time with Telefónica moving into second position. But the fleet remains tight and is only split by a fraction over nine nautical miles from first place to fourth and each team is waiting anxiously to see what the weather Gods will dish out in the next 12 hours. |
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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
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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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