Barcelona World Race, Mapfre non molla
Barcelona World RaceEnglishIMOCA 60Level ClassOceanoVela 8 Marzo 2011 Zerogradinord 0
Oceano Atlantico – Navigando sul margine dell’alta pressione che da alcuni giorni staziona al largo delle coste argentine, Mapfre ha guadagnato terreno nei confronti del leader Virbac Paprec 3, finito nel bel mezzo del complicato sistema meteo. Solo nel corso della notte passata Iker Martinez e Xavier Fernandez hanno limato di una quarantina di miglia il distacco da Jean Pierre Dick e Loick Peyron, accreditati al momento di un vantaggio di 171 miglia.
Nel frattempo, molto più a sud, Pachi Rivero e Tono Piris hanno guidato Renault Z.E. oltre Capo Horn e lo hanno fatto in condizioni particolarmente favorevoli, tali da spingere il loro IMOCA 60 alla media di 13 nodi.
Il fluire delle barche attorno al Capo dovrebbe farsi abbastanza frequente. Il prossimo equipaggio ad avvistare la punta estrema del Sud America dovrebbe essere Neutrogena che, alle 5.00 UTC di questa mattina, surfava a 12-13 nodi e si trovava 75 miglia a ovest dalla terra ferma.
180 miglia da percorrere, invece, per Groupe Bel e per i suoi skipper Kito De Pavant e Seb Audigane che, è notizia di ieri, appena raggiunto Capo Horn cercheranno un ridosso per verificare le condizioni della chiglia del loro IMOCA 60. Capita infatti che il sistema di movimentazione della deriva abbia iniziato a produrre suoni poco rassicuranti.
Dopo l’acciaccato Groue Bel sarà Mirabaud a fare il suo ingresso in Oceano Pacifico. Questa mattina Dominique Wavre e Michel Paret stavano viaggiando a 16 nodi con il freno a mano tirato per evitare il violento impatto con un fronte caratterizzato da venti superiori ai 30 nodi.
Da dietro, nel frattempo, arrivano Pepe Ribes e Alex Pella che a bordo di Estrella Damm, per alcuni giorni leader della regata, viaggiano tre nodi più veloci e si trovano a 310 miglia da Capo Horn.
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Video courtesy Barcelona World Race.
BARCELONA WORLD RACE, MAPFRE STILL CLOSING ON VIRBAC PAPREC 3
[Barcelona World Race Press Release] Mapfre still continue to close distance on Virbac Paprec 3 as Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez profit from the stronger wind pressure as they negotiate the outer fringes of the high’s centre. The Spanish duo have been consistently two to three knots quicker than their rivals and have made nearly 40 miles back on Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron during the night from 1900hrs to 0400hrs UTC. Virbac-Paprec 3 are about 200 miles SSE of the centre of this high pressure system.
Since passing Cape Horn last night in light breezes Renault Z.E Sailing Team have had quick, direct sail conditions on a broad fetch at around 13kts in 20kts of NW’ly winds.
Still sailing conservatively Neutrogena are closing on Cape Horn at between 12 and 13kts and at 0500hrs UTC had still got 75 miles to make to the rock, they should be seeing their wind increase to around 25kts, perhaps more.
After discovering their keel problems late yesterday afternoon Groupe Bel have had a consistent night, sailing steadily at around 16kts and slowing this morning as the breeze eases with them a little. Kito de Pavant and Seb Audigane have 180 miles to Cape Horn and had around 18-20kts breeze this morning.
Mirabaud have just over 100 miles more to sail to Cape Horn than Groupe Bel, also sailing steadily and conservatively. Noticeable this morning is the discrepancy between the weather models, showing between 20 and more than 30 knots for Mirabaud this morning.
Estrella Damm arrive towards Cape Horn on their more southerly routing as the quickest in the fleet this morning and having averaged 17.2 kts overnight, with 310 miles to sail to Cape Horn and this morning Pepe Ribes and Alex Pella have closed to within 30 miles of Mirabaud, making around three knots faster.
Hugo Boss are in 20kts westerly breezes retaining their 200 miles advantage over the girls on GAES Centros Auditivos. It promises to be a breezy International Women’s Day with winds to 40kts from the SW ensuring the race’s only all-female due make good miles today towards Dee Caffari’s fourth passage of Cape Horn and Anna Corbella set to become the first Spanish woman to pass on a non-stop racing circumnavigation. With 1100 miles to go to the Cape they might expect to pass Cape Horn sometime on Friday evening. Dee writes this morning:” We are strong women with a strong resolve and hope we are out here inspiring other women to go out a realise their dreams. As it is International Women’s Day today Anna and I will be celebrating that fact that we are the only female team in the race and we are still going strong”.
With Cape Horn in our sights we just have a complex pattern of depressions to negotiate today and then we can go for it.
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