Guest Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 GROUPAMA LEAD PUMA BY SLIMMEST OF MARGINS It’s all change again tonight as the nip and tuck battle between first and second place on Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Auckland to Itajaí plays out. Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) in third continues to make steady gains, while CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) close on the coast of Chile. At 1300, GMT PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) had the whip hand, leading Groupama sailing team (Franck Cammas/FRA) by 6.5 nautical miles. Three hours later, the lead had whittled away to 1.5 nm as the French team applied the pressure and PUMA led by a short head. At 1900 GMT tonight Groupama stuck their necks out to lead PUMA by just 0.4 nm. The leading pair are 322 nm south east of Mar Del Plata, an Argentine city 400 km south of Buenos Aires, where the race had a leg finish in 1981-82 Whitbread, and continuing to sail downwind in an easing south-southwesterly breeze of 10 knots. Meanwhile, with nothing to lose and everything to gain, Telefónica are sailing closer to the shore and are 158 nm offshore and 185 nm south-east of Puerto Madryn in Argentine Patagonia. They are still making an average speed of 15.8 knots and have taken another 23 nm out of lead by sailing on a faster angle, two knots faster than those sailing further up the track. However, an area of high pressure is forming ahead, which may hinder progress later tonight. The top three boats in this leg are all from the board of Argentinean designer Juan Kouyoumdjian and are very similar in speed. In order to make further inroads into their deficit of 220.7 nm, Telefónica will be reliant on sailing in different weather systems and being able to look ahead to avoid any snares the leaders may fall into. The last 300 nm into Itajaí are notoriously fickle could easily produce a surprise leg winner should the race start again in the dying hours of the leg. Link to post Share on other sites
Fogg 427 Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 This is great racing! Who said the VOR had gone to pot? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 This is great racing! Who said the VOR had gone to pot? After four boats have had to go to land to do repairs, this is exactly what this leg needed or I would have been thinking that this leg was pointless. Other wise.......go PUMA Link to post Share on other sites
Atom Ant 0 Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 I must confess that This leg has kept my interest. I am not interested in who is winning as the race overall is still a farce, but I am interested as I fear for the lives of the blokes out there in the Southern Ocean. I just want to see them get around safely. I presume Camper has made it to Chile? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 I must confess that This leg has kept my interest. I am not interested in who is winning as the race overall is still a farce, but I am interested as I fear for the lives of the blokes out there in the Southern Ocean. I just want to see them get around safely. I presume Camper has made it to Chile? nearly there. they were 160nm way about 3 hours ago. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 GROUPAMA AND PUMA LOCKED IN "DOGFIGHT" FOR FIRST TELEFÓNICA CLOSING GAP ON LEADERS, AS CAMPER REACHES CHILEAN COAST South Atlantic – PUMA and Groupama are today engaged in fierce one-on-one racing for the lead on the way to Itajaí with the narrowest of margins separating the top two teams. After more than two weeks at sea and over 6,000 nautical miles of racing since the Leg 5 start in Auckland, New Zealand, Groupama sailing team and PUMA Ocean Racing powered by Berg have been in frequent visual contact throughout the past 24-hours as the two teams prepare for a “dogfight” into the finish in Brazil over the next three to four days. "Today has been a good day on-board Groupama 4," said Phil Harmer with Groupama sailing team. "The guys have sailed the boat well. You can see just behind us, we've managed to get back ahead of them (PUMA). A good old dogfight. We've got just under a thousand miles to go, so it's anyone's race at the moment… three to four days to go." Meanwhile, overall race leaders Team Telefónica continue to close in, making steady gains in different winds to the top two. At 0700 UTC on Tuesday, Groupama sailing team held a lead of just 0.2 nautical miles (nm) over PUMA, with Telefonica 112 nm behind in third. Taking a different route north in the Atlantic since repairs near Cape Horn, current routing models predict that Telefónica could be within 50 miles of the leading pair by the time the leaders reach the coast of Brazil. On the other side of the South American continent, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, in third-place in the overall standings, reached the Chilean coast early Tuesday and suspended racing in order to carry out repairs in Puerto Montt, Chile. The CAMPER shore crew await the arrival to repair the boat’s structural damage. But it's the self-proclaimed "dogfight" among the top two which will provide for a riveting finish over the next few days. In his latest report from the boat, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG Media Crew Member (MCM) Amory Ross said the unrelenting struggle for first place was taking its toll on the already weary sailors. “Yet another day of close-proximity sailing with Groupama, yet another day of multiple lead changes with the French,” Ross wrote. "It’s been said before, but it still amazes me that after all we have been through, here we are trading places less than a thousand miles away from the finish line. Our seesaw battle for first place is growing in intensity, and it’s a source of constant excitement." "When in doubt, stay between your man and the hoop and hope your boat speed pulls you through," said Ken Read, skipper of PUMA Ocean Racing about the head-to-head racing. The three lead boats are currently estimated to arrive early Saturday morning into Itajaí, Brazil. Telefónica currently have 122 points, Groupama on 107 and CAMPER with 104 points. Thirty points are up for grabs for the winner of Leg 5. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 TELEFÓNICA JOINS THE PARTY WITH NOTHING TO LOSE AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) have closed down Groupama (Franck Cammas/FRA) to take the lead at 1900 GMT tonight by 0.10 nautical miles (nm). Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) is back in contention for the lead, but a secure third place on the podium in Itajaí, even if Groupama posts another win, would be enough to keep the Spanish team at the head of the overall table, if only by five points. The dramatic gains of the past three days, which have seen Telefónica reduce a deficit of 412 nm to 88.20 nm at 1900 GMT tonight, ceased earlier today as the team are now almost sailing in the same weather system as the frontrunners, on the wind, but 98 nm to leeward. This afternoon only moderate gains were achieved as Telefónica’s boat speed dropped in line with Groupama and PUMA, but, during the past three hours, their boat speed has climbed to 13.3 knots, two knots faster than their rivals. The frontrunners are close-hauled, racing each other boat for boat, while Telefónica are 161 nm offshore, with nothing to lose and everything to play for. At the head of the fleet, the tactical intensity deepens as PUMA and Groupama race 61 nm off Argentina’s Mar del Plata. “This kind of close contact racing is really enjoyable. However, the wind is due to shift round before Itajaí and we will be able to make the most of Groupama 4’s speed when sailing with sheets eased,” skipper Franck Cammas said. The crew of PUMA continue to watch Groupama, waiting to see how the crew react to shifts in wind angle. “Even at night, they’re on the lookout and 10 minutes after our change of tack under the cover of darkness, they’ve mirrored our movements. They can keep an eye on us with both binoculars and radar. I don’t think we are going to leave each other’s sides until the finish,” the French skipper added. Still in the Pacific, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) who suspended racing earlier, are due to arrive in Puerto Montt later tonight when repairs will begin. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) are also headed towards the coast of Chile, but were this evening still assessing their options. Link to post Share on other sites
Fogg 427 Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 I still think it's an epic race. 3 boats might have failed but the remaining 3 are having a dog fight that means the final podium positions will go right down to the wire. It doesn't get more thrilling than that from spectator perspective. I'd be very happy if I was Volvo! The alternative would be a dull procession of 6 battleship slugs taking twice a long and generating only half the interest. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 From EMTNZ on Twitter CAMPER has just docked in Puerto Montt. Let the work begin! Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 Who thinks they are considering shipping to Brazil? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 Who thinks they are considering shipping to Brazil? Dont think Camper are but I would be prepared to bet Abu Dhabi will. Link to post Share on other sites
Fogg 427 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Who thinks they are considering shipping to Brazil? Quicker just to carry it overland wouldn't it? Link to post Share on other sites
chic014 0 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 2 days driving says google maps. http://g.co/maps/s83xx Link to post Share on other sites
Bogan 8 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I'm not sure the roads over the Andes are designed for trucking 70 foot southern ocean sleds. Link to post Share on other sites
Bogan 8 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Has anyone noticed that Abu Dabi is also in Puerto MOnt but didn;t suspend racing at the entrance like Camper? Link to post Share on other sites
floatsome 0 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 How many miles have Camper got to go now and in what time? I agree, they will be looking at a billy goat... Why do you make your comment about AD Bogan? Do you know somthing?? Meanwhile that blue boat has sure had some luck! Link to post Share on other sites
Megwyn 2 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 AD has still not reported that they are suspending or retiring - but they have followed Camper into the big bay in which Puerto Montt is. Interesting . . . Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Maybe AD are lost and are just following the boats in front of them Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.