Volvo Ocean Race, come nel Caribe

[singlepic=2301,300,204,,left]Volvo Ocean Race – Oceano Atlantico – Giorni da dimenticare per Telefonica Blue, passato rapidamente da una solida leadership a un risicato vantaggio a causa della dimunizione del vento. Giorni da ricordare per gli inseguitori, tornati in gara quando ormai lo scafo spagnolo sembrava irraggiungibile.

“Sono state 36 ore molto dure, nel corso delle quali abbiamo perso miglia su miglia, ma fa parte del gioco – ha spiegato Bouwe Bekking – Non penso che durerà più di altre 20 ore: a quel punto anche gli altri si infrangeranno contro lo stesso muro che abbiamo colpito noi”.

Telefonica Blue è ormai sulla stessa latitudine dell’isola caraibica di St Martin e l’aria del Caribe mette tutti di buon umore: “Abbiamo messo da parte cerate pesanti, caschi, guanti e protezioni varie – è il commento che giunge da bordo di Team Delta Lloyd – Si naviga in bermuda e maglietta, alla maniera dei caraibici”.

Per Shannon Falcone, impegnato su Il Mostro, il passaggio dell’isola di Antigua ha significato tornare dalle parti di casa: avvenimento da festeggiare con un sorso di Rum, da bere rigorosamente in compagnia.

Festa anche a bordo di Telefonica Black, dove il momento da ricordare, secondo il navigatore Roger Nilson, è quello della doccia collettiva, fatta sfruttando un improvviso acquazzone e l’acqua in eccesso generata dal dissalatore. Doccia che ha seguito di poche ore la decisione di mettere ad asciugare cerate e abbigliamento pesante.

In fatto di performance ha di che essere soddisfatto l’equipaggio del Team Delta Lloyd, capace nel corso delle ultime ore di far segnare la migliore media dell’intera flotta. 393 miglia, alla media dei 16.5 nodi, contro i 14.8 di Telefonica Blue. Rallentamenti anche per Ericsson 4, finito per una manciata di miglia in un buco di vento se è vero che, poco più indietro, Ericsson 3 ha continuato ad avanzare con passo deciso; nonostanet questo, però, il team di Torben Grael è tornato ad occupare la seconda posizione.

Leg 6, day 9, 13.00 GMT, rankings
1. Telefonica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED) DTF 1683
2. Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) +30 nm
3. Ericsson 3 SWE (Magus Olsson/SWE) +34 nm
4. Il Mostro USA (Ken Read/USA) +42 nm
5. Telefonica Black ESP (Fernando Echavarri/ESP) +61 nm
6. Team Delta Lloyd NED (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) +62 nm
7. Green Dragon IRL/CHN (Ian Walker/GBR) +95 nm

SAILING CARIBBEAN STYLE
[Volvo Ocean Race Press Release] It’s hell for Telefónica Blue today as they see their triple-figure lead whittled down to a miserable 30nm, but it’s heaven for the chasing pack who are still romping along and enjoying the sailing, Caribbean style. But, the time will come when they too sail into the lighter conditions that Telefónica Blue is currently experiencing.

“We have been on the receiving end now for roughly 36 hours, losing mile after mile, which is part of the game. I don’t think it will stop for at least another 20 hours, as then, finally, the others will hit the wall as well,” explained the blue boat’s skipper, Bouwe Bekking.

Telefónica Blue is now on the same latitude as the Caribbean Island of St Martin, and ‘Caribbean sailing’ is what today is all about: “No more goggles, helmets and full foul weather gear, just Caribbean style shorts and t-shirts,” says Wouter Verbraak, Delta Lloyd‘s navigator. “Add a barbeque on the back, a nice chilled bottle of white wine and some fresh yellow fin tuna and we could be cruising along just nicely,” he says.

The reality is that there no time to attend to the barbeque, no hands free to hold their plates and glasses of wine, and the heel of the boat would have things sliding through the cockpit in no time. “It would be a big mess,” says Wouter.

For Shannon Falcone on Puma, the Caribbean Island of Antigua is his home and he chose this morning to celebrate the passing of the island by offering a drop of Rum to the five crew on deck at the time.

“Do some research into the long relationship between sailors and Rum, especially here in the Caribbean,” says Puma‘s MCM Rick Deppe, who added that the one mini-bar sized bottle shared among five probably amounted to about the same amount of alcohol as a teaspoon of cough medicine. “It sure does warm the throat though,” he added.

Onboard Telefónica Black, the crew has been taking advantage of the Caribbean conditions by drying out their clothes and having a proper body wash.

“What a relief after collecting many layers of sweat and salt,” says navigator Roger Nilson who has been tempted out of his navigation station and up on deck by the lack of spray. “We use the excess water outlet from the water maker as it functions as the perfect shower in the middle of the cockpit,” explained the newly clean navigator.

Still struggling at the back of the fleet is Green Dragon and skipper Ian Walker says that the current conditions sadly make for tactically very boring sailing. “You can only really play with some subtle angle changes or sail selection,” he says. The team desperately needs something to change in the weather to give them some opportunities. “I just hope we are close enough to capitalise on any mistakes made by those ahead,” Walker said.

Delta Lloyd claims the highest 24-hour run today, of 393 nm. She has also averaged the highest speed over the last three hours, swishing along at approximately 16.5 knots, while Telefónica Blue is only averaging 14.8. Thirty miles astern, Ericsson 4 has also slowed, while just four miles further back, Ericsson 3 and the rest of the fleet still has good breeze.

Bekking says the remainder of leg six could be relatively quick and he is hoping for a finish on Sunday during daylight, which would, of course, be an excellent way to start the Boston stopover.

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