Questions, Questions? Leg Win or Scoring Gate Points?
Leg 2 Day 2 - 14:52 GMT Sunday, November 16, 2008 |
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After a dramatic, and then frustrating, start to leg two of the Volvo Ocean Race yesterday in Cape Town, the fleet of eight boats has now spent one night at sea and the crews are settling back into the rhythm of eating, sleeping and yacht racing.
PUMA (Ken Read / USA) and Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael / BRA) have picked up where they left off on leg one and the battle for supremacy has resumed. But, it is a perplexing time for the skippers and navigators. Whether to go further south and into the stronger breeze for maximum scoring gate points, or stay further north, in lighter conditions but closer to the finish. |
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PUMA Ocean Racing power away from the
start of leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Cape Town,
South Africa to Cochin, India.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Mark Chisnell debates the pros and cons of this decision in today’s 1000 Zulu Report (http://www.volvooceanrace.org/news/article/2008/november/TEN-ZULU-L2-D2/index.aspx).
With the fleet spread out across a north / south divide of just under 40 nautical miles, the leaderboard is distorted as it is based on distance to finish, which will favour boats which are further to the north, although tactically, the position in the south, with its stronger winds will more than compensate for the extra distance to be sailed. |
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Team Delta Lloyd at the start of leg
2 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Cape Town, South Africa
to Cochin, India.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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In the north is Delta Lloyd with her new skipper, Spaniard Roberto Bermudez, showing the shortest distance to finish, while furthest to the south is Andreas Hanakamp / AUT with Team Russia’s Kosatka.
PUMA and Ericsson 4 are just four nm apart. PUMA is to windward and north of Ericsson 4, but sailing considerably slower than Ericsson 4 who has sunk slightly further south. The rest of the fleet is in a tight bunch. |
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Ericsson 4 get ready to hoist their
gennaker at the start at the start of leg 2 of the
Volvo Ocean Race from Cape Town, South Africa to Cochin,
India.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Ericsson 3 (Anders Lewander / SWE) has recovered from yesterday’s mishap when the jib got caught on the radar dome, ripping the sail and detaching the dome from the mast. Overnight the sail has been satisfactorily repaired, but the crew is still trying to come up with a solution to repair the dome.
"Not a very nice feeling when you are heading for the Southern Ocean and later up to India, passing the equator, where squalls are very common and the radar can guide you through them," explained Gustav Morin, Ericsson 3’s MCM. |
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Ericsson 3 hit a light patch of breeze
at the start of leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race from
Cape Town, South Africa to Cochin, India.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Ian Walker / GBR is pleased with the position of Green Dragon, just to windward of PUMA. "Ian Moore (navigator) has put us in a good spot," he said this morning. "Conditions are very comfortable with a building westerly breeze," he added.
PUMA has recorded the highest 24-hour run during the period, of 268nm, but Ericsson 4 has averaged the highest boat speed during the last hour of 21.5 knots. |
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Green Dragon at the start of leg 2
of the Volvo Ocean Race from Cape Town, South Africa
to Cochin, India.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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| The first point
scoring opportunity on this leg will be when the fleet crosses
from west to east - the line of longitude 58 degrees E, anywhere
south of the latitude 20 degrees S. |
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Telefonica Blue at the start of leg
2 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Cape Town, South Africa
to Cochin, India.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Leg Two Day Two: 13:00 GMT Volvo Ocean Race Positions
(boat name / country / skipper / nationality / distance to finish)
Delta Lloyd IRL (Roberto Bermudez / ESP) DTF 4274
PUMA Racing Team USA (Ken Read / USA) +3
Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking / NED) +5
Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael / BRA) +6
Ericsson 3 SWE (Anders Lewander / SWE) +6
Green Dragon IRL / CHN (Ian Walker / GBR) +6
Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri/ESP) +9
Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp / AUT) +38
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