Volvo Ocean Race, problemi di vista
Equipo TelefonicaEricsson RacingGreen Dragon RacingOceanoPuma Ocean RacingVelaVolvo Ocean Race 19 Febbraio 2009 Zerogradinord 0
[singlepic=1770,250,170,,left]Volvo Ocean Race – Qingdao – Ancora mure a dritta, le cinque barche protagoniste della quinta tappa della Volvo Ocean Race proseguono la loro marcia verso sud. La flotta è ora localizzata 1200 miglia a nord della Nuova Irlanda nelle Isole Solomone, un’area dove i Doldrum sono in agguato e la brezza aumenta la propria instabilità a ogni manciata di miglia percorse.
Al comando è sempre Ericsson 4, ma Il Mostro non molla la presa. Lo scafo di Ken Read è 45 miglia a nordovest di quello di Torben Grael che, in proiezione, è avanti di circa 10 miglia rispetto all’avversario. Ericsson 3 ha scelto la strada di mezzo e pare trarne buoni frutti, mentre Ian Walker è il più estremo di tutti, 156 miglia a est di Puma. A chiudere le fila è Telefonica Blue, fermo nella scia di Ericsson 3, ma ben 267 miglia dietro la poppa di Ericsson 4.
Navigare alle portanti, per quanto monotono, porta con sé i suoi vantaggi. Non ci sono vele o attrezzatura da mettere via, sacchi da spostare e sarà così per almeno un’altra settimana. Tra gli aspetti negativi della navigazione in poppa c’è l’enorme quantitativo d’acqua che arriva a bagnare la coperta e a irritare gli occhi dei velisti: “Abbiamo tutti gli occhi irritati – ha spiegato il media crew member di Ericsson 3, Gustav Morin – e quasto nonostante si sia sempre attrezzati con elmetti e mascherine di protezione”.
A tal proposito, su Telefonica Blue si provano diverse soluzioni, coem spiega Simon Fisher: “La maggior parte dei ragazzi indossa casco e visiera. David Vera è andato oltre, proteggendosi con una maschera da lavoro, e Michael Pammenter fronteggia i frangenti con un paio di occhialini da sub. Seppur ridicolo alla vista, questo sembra essere il modo migliore per venirne fuori”.
Leg 5, day 5, 13.00 GMT, rankings
1. Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) DTF 10549
2. Puma Racing Team USA (Ken Read/USA) +10 nm
3. Ericsson 3 SWE (Magnus Olsson/SWE) +105 nm
4. Green Dragon IRL/CHN (Ian Walker/GBR) +256 nm
5. Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED) +264 nm
Team Delta Lloyd NED/IRL (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) DNS
Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri/ESP) DNS
Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) DNS
WET, HOT AND MANKY
[Volvo Ocean Race Press Release] It is still a hot port-gybe reach for the five boats engaged in the charge south during leg five of the Volvo Ocean Race. The fleet is currently 1200 nm north of New Ireland in the Solomon Islands, the area where the doldrums are lurking and light and shifty breeze await.
Top boat is Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael), with Puma (Ken Read) positioned neatly on her starboard hip, 45 nm to the northwest, but only 10 nm astern. Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson) has chosen the middle road, while Ian Walker still has Green Dragon in the east, 156 nm further east than Puma. Bringing up the rear is Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking), who is ploughs a lonely furrow almost exactly the wake of Ericsson 3, but 267 nm behind Ericsson 4.
Reaching, although rather monotonous, does have its advantages. There are no sails or gear to stack when the boat tacks, and it looks as if this will be the case for at least another week. “The stack has stayed pretty much in place for the best part of a week, apart from a bit of carting it forward and aft to help the trim of the boat,” says Telefónica Blue’s Simon Fisher.
The downside of reaching is the spray, which soaks the crew’s eyes with salt. “They get red and very sore,” explains Ericsson 3’s MCM, Gustav Morin. “We have helmets with eye protection and different kinds of goggles to protect them, but it’s tricky to see through the glass.”
Onboard Telefónica Blue, various fashion items have appeared to deal with the spray situation. “Whilst the majority have stuck with the trusty old surf helmet and visor, David Vera has mixed things up a little with a very fetching pair of safety goggles and Michael Pammenter is sporting a pair of scuba goggles. The latter, whilst looking a little ridiculous, seem to be pretty effective, although this was almost not the case, as, whilst getting them out of his bag, Mike managed to stamp on them, popping the lenses out,” said Simon Fisher.
Although the miles are clicking off nicely, around 2000 nm already safely consigned to history, conditions for the fleet are, in the words of Ericsson 4’s watch captain, Brad Jackson, “wet, hot and manky,” – the ideal breeding ground for all sorts of nasty rashes and sores. “I am not looking forward to what Ryno (Ryan Godfrey), Nipper (Guy Salter) and Blood (Phil Jameson) start coming out with. Over the length of this leg, there could be some new varieties,” he said.
Leg 5, day 5, 13.00 GMT, rankings
1. Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) DTF 10549
2. Puma Racing Team USA (Ken Read/USA) +10 nm
3. Ericsson 3 SWE (Magnus Olsson/SWE) +105 nm
4. Green Dragon IRL/CHN (Ian Walker/GBR) +256 nm
5. Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED) +264 nm
Team Delta Lloyd NED/IRL (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) DNS
Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri/ESP) DNS
Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) DNS
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