Leg 7

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Leg 7 starts at 5:00am on Monday morning with the once undefeatable Telefonica needing to turn in a solid leg performance or risk loosing their overall lead with puma in fourth only 14 points behind and Groupama snapping at their heals only seven points adrift. Its all on for young and old and this is getting exciting

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I hate to say it but I don't think Camper is a threat for points winner. Apparently boats that finish legs on ships could have a better chance.

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Okay were back up and running now after I thought I may have fried my laptop last night, but luckily it was a cheap fix.

 

CRUCIAL LEG 7 UNDERWAY IN MIAMI AS FLEET HEADS OUT FOR TRANS-ATLANTIC CROSSING

 

Miami, Florida, U.S.A. – The fleet in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 departed Miami on Sunday in light winds in front of hundreds of spectator boats to start pivotal Leg 7 before they head straight towards a tropical storm.

 

With four boats still in close contention for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 trophy with just three legs remaining, Leg 7 could potentially one of the most critical stages of the 39,000 nautical mile marathon.

 

With a gentle breeze blowing off Miami’s famous South Beach it was Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, winners of Saturday’s PORTMIAMI In-Port Race, who took the early lead round the six-mile course which extended as they entered the powerful current of the Gulf Stream.

 

Despite a light start to the 3,590nm transatlantic leg from Miami to Lisbon, Portugal, the six-strong fleet were preparing to tackle Tropical Storm Alberto, the first of the 2012 hurricane season, lying off the east coast of the United States and holding winds of up to 45 knots at its centre.

 

Points have never been more crucial as the race reaches a critical juncture. After more than six months and thousands of miles of extreme racing, Team Telefónica still lead with 165 points, but Groupama are snapping at their heels just seven points behind on 158, while CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand have 152 and current in-form team PUMA on 151.

 

The formation of Tropical Storm Alberto may have put an end to the traditional route up the coast using the Gulf Stream as a catapult but it will reward the teams with fast sailing in decent breeze if they play it correctly. Get it wrong, and they could quickly find themselves in dangerous conditions.

 

Navigator Tom Addis, mastermind of PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG’s back-to-back leg wins in Leg 5 and 6, said the race to pick up the winds generated by Alberto could prove critical in the bid to get an early advantage.

 

After the disappointment of finishing last in the PORTMIAMI In-Port Race, Telefónica navigator Andrew Cape said his team were looking forward to getting back to rediscovering the form which saw them win the first three offshore legs and build a lead in the overall standings that they have yet to relinquish.

 

Volvo Ocean Race meteorologist Gonzalo Infante said the key to early success depended on how well the teams use Tropical Storm Alberto. Leg 7 is expected to take around 11 days to complete with finish estimated for May 31 into Lisbon.

 

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GROUPAMA LEADS THE FLEET NORTH ON GULF STREAM CONVEYOR BELT

 

After a light airs start to Leg 7 yesterday, Groupama (Franck Cammas/FRA) has the lead today as northerly winds blowing against the Gulf Stream kick up a choppy sea in the opening stages of the transatlantic leg to Lisbon in Portugal.

 

The fleet’s progress north is being helped by three knots of positive current from the Gulf Stream conveyor belt, but has made for an unpleasant and bumpy start to the 3,590 nautical mile (nm) leg.

 

“There’s nothing like going upwind in the Gulf Stream and slamming into a big swell,” said PUMA watch captain Tony Mutter. Already the fleet has made good progress on what all crews expect to be an exhilarating and predominantly downwind ride back to European waters.

 

At 0700 GMT today Groupama led from Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) by 1.2 nm as the fleet passed Cape Canaveral on the east coast of the United States.

 

Meanwhile PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA), CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) are tightly bunched, while Mike Sanderson has chosen to take Team Sanya two miles to windward of the pack.

 

Ahead of the fleet to the north lies Tropical Storm Alberto, which will provide a big advantage for the team which finds the strong winds first.

 

According to Groupama navigator Jean-Luc Nélias, the tropical low could propel the fleet east almost as far as the Azores Islands.

 

“The storm is the source of pressure for us to get north and east on, so it’s important to try to feed into that pressure first,” explained PUMA navigator Tom Addis.

 

“You don’t want to be on the wrong side of that low, because the current against wind in the Gulf Stream would give quite a heinous sea state.”

 

Leg 7 is predicted to take the fleet 11 days to complete with the leaders expected to arrive in Lisbon on or around May 31.

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TEAMS HIT SCREAMING SPEEDS AS STORM OFFERS KEY TO VICTORY

 

Boat speeds rocketed on Monday as the Volvo Ocean Race fleet flirted with Tropical Storm Alberto, the weather system that could hold the key to a rapid, unorthodox transatlantic crossing.

 

Fleet-wide speeds were into the high 20s as the teams careered north-east towards the tropical storm, the first of the 2012 hurricane season, and the key to early success in the 3,590-mile sprint to Lisbon, Portugal.

 

At its centre, Alberto holds gale-force winds of 35 knots but the teams will likely try to exploit the lesser, more favourable breeze further from the eye of the storm that could catapult them across the Atlantic.

 

Groupama sailing team were leading the charge at 1300 UTC having gybed to the north-east first, with an eight-mile advantage of over PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG as less than 20 miles split the fleet.

 

"There have been a few key moments so far and we’ve been in a position to dictate where we wanted to go, and the fleet are doing a similar thing behind us," Groupama watch captain Damian Foxall said.

 

"It’s a good position to be in. We’re the first one to gybe and we’re the first to be going in the right direction towards Lisbon at speed. So long as this keeps up, things are looking good.”

 

Just 14 points separate leaders Team Telefónica from fourth-placed PUMA in the overall standings and with 30 points on offer to the winners of each of the remaining three offshore legs that lead could easily be swallowed up.

 

Telefónica finished off the podium for the first time in an offshore leg in the race into Miami and made matters worse by taking last place in Saturday’s PORTMIAMI In-Port Race.

 

Still, MCM Diego Fructuoso said team spirit was good as they bid to hold off Groupama, seven points behind them in second, as well as CAMPER with Emirates Tea New Zealand, a further six points back, and PUMA, just a point behind them.

 

“The atmosphere is really good, which is not easy after the recent results,” said Fructuoso. “We're going to give it everything in this leg, as we want to arrive in Lisbon in first place and show we haven't forgotten how to win."

 

After winning the PORTMIAMI In-Port Race and leading around the inshore section of the Leg 7 start, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing were looking strong until a large plastic bag wrapped around their keel hampered progress.

 

But skipper Ian Walker said they were well matched against PUMA and CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand and enjoying the tussle for third.

 

“They are both right next to us,” Walker said. “I was just on deck and we can see them clearly.

“We dropped back into the pack in the upwind conditions soon after the start but now we are holding them as we get into down wind sailing.”

 

Volvo Ocean Race weather expert Gonzalo Infante said although the North Atlantic weather systems are unstable, the option to ‘cut the corner’ and sail a non-traditional route almost in a straight line to Lisbon could be opening up to the teams.

 

“A new low pressure system forming further north is set to swallow up Tropical Storm Alberto and force the huge high pressure system that blocks the path to Lisbon to the east,” he said.

 

“A cold front associated with the low pressure will bring wind, allowing the teams to sail a much more direct route. The door is definitely open – but timing is everything.”

 

 

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GROUPAMA PLAYS TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO TO PERFECTION

 

The North Atlantic is a playing field that Franck Cammas/FRA and Groupama sailing team know well and today they played Tropical Storm Alberto to perfection, extending their lead by gybing at the critical time.

 

“We might actually be faster than this low,” said CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand navigator Will Oxley earlier today. “If it is stationary and we move off it won’t be so good. If it moves with us we could see some fast 24-hour runs for sure. For now we’re concentrating on this particular system – there’s another low ridge at the end so there’s plenty of stuff going on. We don’t care how long the leg takes as long as we’re first.”

 

Earlier, Groupama and PUMA set off down wind at high speeds while the chasing pack of four struggled with upwind conditions. By 1900 GMT tonight, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand had risen to second position as PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG paid heavily for an expensive hitch to the north, losing 24 nm in the past three hour period. Although speeds have settled at around 18 knots for the leaders, the chasing pack of five in the Volvo Ocean Race fleet have yet to engage in a really high-speed chase.

 

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s skipper Ian Walker/GBR is looking for a break, although spirits on board are high after winning the PortMiami in-port race on Saturday.

 

“With a bit of luck we’ll be able to stay in the south east quadrant of it [the storm], and, as the depression moves northeast we can ride with it giving us a good angle up to the north east,” he said. “It really then depends on whether we can stay with the depression up towards the ice exclusion zone or whether we try to hop across the Azores High. It’s all very uncertain at the moment.”

 

At 1900 GMT, Groupama led by 47.3 nm over CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, while the rest of the fleet struggled to keep pace. Mike Sanderson’s Sanya suffered heavily, losing 35 nm and after just over 24 hours at sea, the fleet is now split by 87.20 nm from Groupama in first, to Sanya in sixth.

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Camper appear to have dropped around 20miles from 2nd to 5th in 2hrs.

[Guest]

TROPICAL STORM WREAKS HAVOC AMONG VOLVO OCEAN RACE FLEET

 

After a day of thunderstorms and lightning on Tuesday, which lit up the racetrack like a battlefield, the six-boat Volvo Ocean Race fleet has settled back into some high-speed sailing across the Atlantic led by Franck Cammas/FRA and Groupama. Speeds are around 18-20 knots and PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) are back up in second place, with Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) in third.

 

Tropical Storm Alberto wreaked havoc for five of the fleet yesterday when it changed course unexpectedly, leaving all but Groupama trapped in its centre, as a violent windshift headed the fleet straight into the eye of the storm.

 

“Then followed a chaotic 12-hour period as we ended up on the wrong side of it, beating upwind in 35 knots,” explained Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s skipper Ian Walker, currently in fourth position. “All of a sudden, instead of a fast ride east to the south of the storm, we were right in it and in survival mode with three reefs and a heavy weather jib.”

 

As the fleet crashed off some terrible waves, the most worrying aspect was the lightning striking all around, right down to the water. “It didn’t seem possible that our carbon mast could avoid a direct strike,” Walker added.

 

CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand was one of the worst affected teams. “Unfortunately, yesterday we had probably one of the worst skeds of the whole race so far, dropping close to 25 miles on the other boats,” said skipper Chris Nicholson.

 

Groupama meanwhile had managed to avoid the storm by gybing early and pulled out a lead of 70 miles or so while carnage ensued astern. However, the fleet eventually escaped, sailing back on themselves to the favoured side of the storm to get back on track.

 

At 0700 GMT, Groupama’s lead had been reduced as the fleet settled back on course, with PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG just 26 nm astern of the green boat. As all teams made gains on the leader in the past three hours, the split from first to Sanya (Mike Sanderson/NZL) in sixth place has been reduced to 52.8 nm as the fleet blast along in 15 – 19 knots of wind.

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ALL CALM AFTER THE STORM

 

It’s all gone a little bit quiet out on the Atlantic race track for the Volvo Ocean Race fleet after tropical storm Alberto swept across all but leg leader Franck Cammas/FRA and Groupama yesterday. The six-boat fleet has had a more satisfactory day today, clicking off miles downwind towards the Lisbon finish at speeds of around 19 knots. However, a patch of lighter airs is slowing the fleet, allowing the pack to close on Groupama, as they chase an easterly moving low-pressure system. At 1900 GMT tonight, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG had gained four miles and closed to within 8.10 nm of the leader, with Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) in third, just a fraction of a mile behind PUMA, having made a gain of 10 nm in the past three hours.

 

In contrast to yesterday’s storm, today has been pleasant downwind sailing as the remnants of the storm moved away to the north and the fleet extended to the east. As the wind eased, so did conditions onboard. Hatches that had been tightly closed were thrown open to air out the boats and the crews have been able to rest and eat, and mentally prepare for the next hurdle. However, the calm after the storm is temporary. Ahead, the low will provide exhilarating sailing once more, provided the fleet can reach it in time to reap the benefits.

 

“We are quietly slipping along,” reported Groupama skipper Franck Cammas. “However, the weather is very complicated up ahead. It is hard to know which option we’re going to take as there are a lot of pitfalls in front,” he said, fully aware that the chasing pack will catch Groupama tonight. “We are fortunate that everyone is following the same course at the moment,” Cammas added. The Frenchman is preparing to use the full range of sails onboard Groupama on this Atlantic leg to Lisbon, Portugal, which could even throw in some upwind sailing mid-Atlantic.

 

The fleet has a lateral separation of approximately 38 nm as the drag race towards the front continues. Telefónica have taken the high road north and are to windward of the fleet, while CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand are to leeward in the south.

 

Franck Cammas has positioned Groupama just under two miles to windward of CAMPER, but 23.8 nm ahead, but tonight will be an anxious time as the fleet continues to make better speed than Groupama, which at 15.4 knots was over a knot slower than CAMPER and four knots slower than the hard-pushing crew on board Telefónica.

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[Guest]

I hate to say it but I don't think Camper is a threat for points winner. Apparently boats that finish legs on ships could have a better chance.

 

Much easier to imagine Tele Puma or Groupa taking it then camper getting there first line honours in these end legs.. love to be proven wrong

[Guest]

I hate to say it but I don't think Camper is a threat for points winner. Apparently boats that finish legs on ships could have a better chance.

 

Much easier to imagine Tele Puma or Groupa taking it then camper getting there first line honours in these end legs.. love to be proven wrong

 

I second you there Sims. I dont seed Camper winning enough races to secure a overall victory and they might even struggle to get onto the podium if they continue to get some more bad luck.

[Guest]

second time lucky....I think

 

FIGHTING FOR THE LEAD

 

The pressure has been intense for Franck Cammas and his men on board Groupama who have been unable to prevent the fleet compressing as the wind softened ahead.

 

Overnight, Iker Martínez/ESP and Telefónica were able to reel in the French boat to take the lead for a short period, however at 0400 GMT, Cammas was back in front again. The team pulled out a three-mile lead by sailing two knots faster, only for Telefónica to come back at them again in the next three hours and at 0700 GMT, they cut the French team’s advantage in half.

 

Telefónica has led the race overall since finishing in first place on Leg 1 in Cape Town, South Africa, but, as the event has progressed around the world, Groupama has become an increasingly serious threat to the Spanish lead.

 

Separated by just seven points, the 30 points on offer for a first place leg finish and 25 for second on this 3,590 nm leg to Lisbon, Portugal, could be very significant, with two offshore legs and three in-port races still to complete.

 

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) is keeping the third placed crew of PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) on their toes. At 0700 GMT they were less than a mile astern and sailing significantly faster.

 

The match race being played out 22.4 nm from Groupama is proving to be equally intense as PUMA push hard for a third consecutive leg win and hold off Ian Walker’s men onboard Azzam who are hungry for a first offshore podium finish.

 

In fifth place, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) are still smarting from losing 25 nm during the chaos of tropical storm Alberto on Monday. Now 36.10 nm adrift of the lead, skipper Chris Nicholson commented, “Will Oxley [navigator] is going bald, and I am going grey – that’s the Volvo Ocean Race for you.”

 

According to Media Crew Member, Hamish Hooper, the pair are spending long hours in the nav station, patiently scouring weather maps, currents and just about anything that could give the team a chance of regaining the lost miles.

 

Although they have slipped to 44.8 nm behind Groupama, Team Sanya (Mike Sanderson/NZL) are still very much in contention and enjoying the downwind sailing, which is propelling the fleet quickly towards the Lisbon finish.

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things are going from bad to worse for Camper

[Guest]

CAMPER TAKE A HIT IN SEARCH FOR BEST WIND

 

CAMPER lost precious miles on Wednesday evening, giving up their southerly position to dodge an area of light wind as Telefónica closed to within two miles of Leg 7 frontrunners Groupama.

 

Chris Nicholson’s men on CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand had been following a course 50 miles south west of Groupama sailing team but were forced to head north to avoid a ridge of high pressure that would have seen them slow to a halt.

 

The move has proved costly for the team, who just two days ago were lying in second, relegating them to sixth place, more than 80 miles behind the leaders at 1900 UTC.

 

“The scenario right now is that a couple of the guys are trying to get through the high pressure,” CAMPER helmsman Tony Rae said.

 

“The weather is not exactly as forecasted so we’ve had to get ourselves up a bit to enable us to do the same. We had to take quite a big loss to get back into the pressure.

 

“It’s something we’ll have to chip away at but there’s a long way to go yet, over 2,500 miles, so we’re really trying to set ourselves up for the next few days and see we’ll see what happens.”

 

Meanwhile, overall race leaders Telefónica continued their assault on their French rivals Groupama narrowing the gap to just 1.5 miles and travelling more than two knots quicker as the two crews closed in on one another.

 

Third-placed Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing had another successful day chasing the leading pair and at 1900 were trailing by just 19 miles, averaging speeds of more than 19 knots, the fastest in the fleet.

 

Around 70 miles from the leaders, Team Sanya, in fifth, gained two miles on fourth-placed PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG, winners of the previous two offshore legs.

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TELEFÓNICA TAKE TOP SPOT AS FLEET GYBES NORTH

 

Leg 7 had a new frontrunner early on Thursday in the form of overall race leaders Telefónica, who snatched the top spot from French rivals Groupama as the teams were forced to head north to dodge a high pressure system blocking the direct path towards Lisbon.

 

Iker Martínez’s men were almost 10 nautical miles ahead of Franck Cammas’ team at the 0700 UTC position report and travelling more than a knot quicker after all six boats had gybed north in search of better breeze.

 

CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand were the first of the chasing teams to gybe north on Wednesday, and this morning Sanya, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing followed suit.

 

Telefónica and Groupama were the last of the fleet to make the move, and at the latest position report all six teams were sailing north-easterly courses.

 

CAMPER skipper Chris Nicholson said that while costly, the split was a necessary move to keep them in the game. At 0700 it seemed to be paying as they averaged 15.5 knots, the quickest boat in the fleet, pulling back more than six miles in three hours.

 

“The boats to the north of us were continuing gaining on us in more pressure, and we are going to have to take a loss to go there, but the future wasn’t looking good staying in the south,” Nicholson said.

 

“We are going to take some more losses to get back into pressure and try to get back in touch with these guys.”

 

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, this morning in third place almost 50 nm behind the leaders, were banking on a leaderboard reshuffle in their favour as they relished being in the thick of the action.

 

“For a few days we have clung to the hope that we could just about ride the southwesterly wind east and connect with the westerly flow round the Azores High that would deliver us to Lisbon,” skipper Ian Walker said. “It was a dream scenario – a very direct and downwind route that avoided the ice gates to the north.

 

“Sadly reality is now being faced by the fleet as we gybe north one by one. Ahead of us we face a very light wind high pressure zone to cross, a day of upwind sailing, much colder temperatures and a few more days at sea. At least it will feel like a ‘real’ Atlantic crossing.

 

“I suspect we could see a real shake up in the standings with some big gains and losses. After getting ourselves into a good position thus far our priority is to put ourselves in as safe a position as we can relative to the others.”

[Guest]

TOO LATE FOR COLD FRONT AS FLEET HEADS TOWARDS ICE GATES

 

The quick Atlantic crossing to Lisbon, Portugal, has taken an unexpected twist, as the cold front the fleet had been hoping to hook into for a fast ride fast across the North Atlantic was moving too quickly, slamming the door shut and forcing some quick thinking.

 

“We all missed the train and we’re waiting for the next one, which is expected to come in from the northwest and that’s while we are climbing up,” explained Xabi Fernandez, trimmer with leg leaders Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP).

 

Having missed the opportunity for a fast ride towards the finish, the fleet has gybed north and are heading towards the ice gates put in place to keep the fleet south of the ice brought south on the cold Labrador current.

 

“The latest bit of ice was spotted at latitude 46 degrees north. At the moment we’re headed to get above it. Bring on the freeze,” said Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s navigator, Jules Salter.

 

“The boats behind have a bit more breeze right now, so they’ll be notching up some good data in the next few hours. The situation we have coming up is quite thorny indeed. We’re going to hit a high pressure system tomorrow and then we will get the next squall, where we hope we’ll get away again. It will be interesting,” said Telefónica navigator Andrew Cape, who made the call to head east again shortly after 1300 GMT.

 

For CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS), who found themselves further south than they wanted, it has been a particularly painful two days following the decision by the afterguard to abandon the south and take the high road north.

 

“We took a couple of big shifts to the north. The remains of tropical storm Alberto were still around, so we got a bit of a shove from that. Right at the moment, we are reaping some of the benefits from it,” explained navigator Will Oxley earlier.

 

The leaderboard reshuffled at 1600 GMT today, with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) moving up to second place, with CAMPER eight miles behind and Groupama slipping to fourth. At 1900 GMT Groupama had slipped further down the field to fifth place. Having hit a light spot, the team was sailing at almost half the speed of the rest of the fleet. They are positioned midway between Telefónica who is heading east and the rest of the fleet who are continuing to claw northeast. The fleet is now spread 65 nm from Telefónica in first to Sanya in sixth place, with a north/south divide of 68 nm.

 

So far, the course from Miami to Lisbon has produced flat water downwind sailing under clear blue skies, unexpected conditions enjoyed by all. “Normally it’s grey, miserable and cold and probably freezing at this stage, as we are usually up around Newfoundland, so we will definitely take this,” said Justin Slattery, bowman with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing.

 

Far from being a drag race to the finish, the current weather situation, although tricky, has presented plenty of options for the chasing pack who are picking their way through the minefield. Fortunately, although many miles have been lost in the claw north, there is still over 2,000 nm left to run in this 3,590 nm leg to Lisbon, which is plenty enough runway to provide for some changes in the leaderboard.

 

 

[Guest]

Tele down to 11 knots and CAMPER (14 knots) about to take the lead off both 'em and the arabs!

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