AMERICA’S CUP: The SoftBank Corp and the Kansai Yacht Club have agreed to challenge for the 2017 America’s Cup.

As SoftBank Team Japan, the team will compete in the 2015 America’s Cup World Series events, and challenge for the 2017 America’s Cup in Bermuda.

The campaign was confirmed on April 30 by Kazuhiko Sofuku, “Fuku”, a veteran of four previous America’s Cup campaigns who has been appointed as the team’s general manager.

“To lead a Japanese challenge for the America’s Cup is a dream come true,” said Fuku, who last raced with a Japanese team for the Cup 15 years ago as bowman for Nippon Challenge during the 1999/2000 Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series.

SoftBank Group representative Masayoshi Son said: “I am thrilled to announce that we will be supporting Team Japan at the America’s Cup.”

SoftBank Team Japan is challenging under the banner of the Kansai Yacht Club, among the most distinguished clubs in the country.

A base level of technical assistance from Oracle Team USA will be provided to SoftBank Team Japan as it prepares for the 2015 America’s Cup World Series events.

“SoftBank Team Japan is a very positive addition to the America’s Cup,” said AC Commercial Commissioner Harvey Schiller. “The Japanese challenge will increase interest in the America’s Cup across Asia which is good news for all of our teams and partners.”

Bermuda Legacy

Following the above press release on April 30 came another release from the AC saying it was to create a legacy for Bermuda and beyond.

But surely we were given a similar promise after the incredibly successful AC34 in San Francisco?

This one seems to have been rather better thought out and boasts input from companies such as North Sails, Hobie Cat, BIC Sport, RS Sailing, Harken, Dynamic Dollies and Racks as well as local partners in Bermuda.

The objective is to launch an ambitious Community Sailing Project, with a focus on leaving a sporting legacy in Bermuda.

The promise from The Top is that the Bermuda Community Sailing project is expected to serve as a blueprint for similar programmes in other cities and countries to be rolled out over the coming years.

Sounds pretty good to us. But at a time when everything else about the AC seems to be about cutting costs, we wonder how much this programme will cost the entrants…

via Boating Business – Japanese entry for AC35.

AMERICA’S CUP: BT Sport has beaten Sky to get the live television rights to broadcast the UK and Ireland America’s Cup races and highlights of the 2017 America’s Cup.

Beginning with the opening races of the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) in Portsmouth on July 25 and 26, BT Sport will offer live coverage of all America’s Cup racing to viewers in the UK and Ireland through to the finals in 2017.

The BBC will carry America’s Cup highlights after acquiring free-to-air broadcast rights for the event.

Highlights from the 2015-16 America’s Cup World Series – including the Portsmouth events – as well as the 2017 America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs and America’s Cup Finals, are included in the BBC agreement for free-to-air broadcast.

With Sir Ben Ainslie leading the UK challenge for the 2017 AC35, the excitement level for this series is likely to be huge.

We understand Sir Keith Mills, one of the top names in the campaign backing Ben Ainslie to win AC35, was highly instrumental in obtaining the AC35 rights.

Other top names behind Mr Ainslie include the Carphone Warehouse co-founder, Sir Charles Dunstone, Oakely Capital’s (and North Sails’) Peter Dubens and Ian Taylor, boss of oil giant Vitol.

Among the sponsors backing Mr Ainslie are Siemens, KPMG and BAE Systems, with help from Red Bull Racing

“Our partnership with BT Sport as our live coverage broadcaster and the BBC for highlights programming means we have an opportunity to reach millions of sailing fans in the UK and Ireland and engage them in the new America’s Cup, which is more dynamic, athletic and spectacular than ever before,” said Harvey Schiller, the commercial commissioner of the America’s Cup.

Under the agreements, BT Sport will broadcast all live stages of the 2015-16 America’s Cup World Series events, being hosted in Portsmouth in July 2015 and again in July 2016, and continuing with events around the world.

The BBC will have highlight programming from the World Series events.

Sir Keith Mills said: “The America’s Cup World Series event taking place in Portsmouth this July will be the first time a British team will compete in an official America’s Cup event in British waters since 1851.

“This is going to be an historic occasion where we expect up to 500,000 people attending the event and, with BT Sport’s support as the exclusively live broadcaster and the BBC showing highlight programming, many millions more will be engaged on TV and online.“

Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport, commented: “The BBC is delighted to be able to offer viewers highlights programming for the next two and a half years of America’s Cup racing.

“We’ve followed Sir Ben Ainslie throughout his brilliant Olympic career and covered his remarkable contribution to the dramatic America’s Cup climax two years ago, so we’re delighted to bring the latest chapter in his career to a wide audience of existing fans and newcomers.”

via Boating Business – BT Sport beats Sky to AC35 coverage.

The Volvo Ocean Race’s only North American stopover in Newport, Rhode Island, was set to open with a fanfare on Tuesday, while less than 500 nautical miles (nm) away at sea, six boats were battling desperately to become the first to join the party (full story below).

– It’s still anyone’s leg to win in Newport

– Rhode Island party for Race Village opening

– Follow the race down to the wire on our great App

ALICANTE, Spain, May 5 – The Volvo Ocean Race’s only North American stopover in Newport, Rhode Island, was set to open with a fanfare on Tuesday, while less than 500 nautical miles (nm) away at sea, six boats were battling desperately to become the first to join the party.

The 2014-15 12th edition is the first in the race’s 41-year history to be contested on one-design boats and it has so far delivered a series of amazingly close leg finishes.

In the previous stage, Leg 5 from Auckland to Itajaí, the first four boats finished within an hour of each other. Leg 6 looks as though it could well end up just as tightly contested all the way to the very last nautical mile, with the first five boats separated by less than 20nm.

Just over 50nm behind the main pack, the women on Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) were in the best pressure and making ground fast (see panel above from Tuesday, 0940 UTC).

On Tuesday evening, the boats will be making one last, planned gybe out of a light wind area.

After reasonably wide lateral separations earlier in the 5,010nm leg, the crews do not look like that they are taking any more bold gambits in bids to find favourable winds or currents, and are now tightly bunched and closely monitoring each other.

“It’s a time of minimal risks,” said Volvo Ocean Race official meteorologist, Gonzalo Infante. “I expect pretty simultaneous gybes tonight.”

They will be helped by a reasonably forceful south-westerly wind across the Gulf Stream mid-morning (UTC time) on Wednesday before the final push for home where typically variable winds will keep the crews guessing to the very end.

A latest estimated time of arrival from Race Control in Alicante is around 1500 UTC on Thursday, although there is still plenty of room for change on that.

So who will win? At 0940 UTC on Tuesday, Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) were continuing to guard a 2.1nm lead after sacrificing some of their earlier advantage to return to a position where they could cover the rest of the fleet.

Their pursuers were led by overall race leaders, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR).

The Emirati boat’s dilemma was well summed up by Onboard Reporter, Matt Knighton: “Ian (Walker) has been in a constant state of tension all-day – cover Team Brunel and stay locked into second place or attack Dongfeng if there’s an opportunity.”

The Dutch boat Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) were facing a similar conundrum with MAPFRE (Xabi Fernández/ESP) and Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) both chasing them hard from astern.

Meanwhile, back in Newport, the atmosphere was already electric in town with a string of VIPs in attendance to officially open the Race Village led by Rhode Island Governor, Gina Raimondo, and Congressman David N. Ciccillini.

For Team Alvimedica, skippered by Rhode Islander Charlie Enright, the pressure to succeed in the race to their home port is almost palpable.

Their onboard reporter, Amory Ross, himself a Newport-based local, wrote on Tuesday: “It has happened so many times in this race, that after thousands and thousands of miles spent crossing this world’s oceans, it is the final hundred or so that decide the outcome.

“As much as we’re already thinking about Newport and how great it will be to get back there, we promise we’re doing our best to prepare for every opportunity we may get between now and then to show how far we’ve come since we last left.”

via Who will take a risk? | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

The Volvo Ocean Race fleet found fair winds rather then the ill fortune of repute as they raced through the Bermuda Triangle in the thrilling Leg 6 race towards Newport, Rhode Island, USA, on Monday (full story below).

– Sailors admit fatigue in relentless ‘grinding of nerves’

– The Bermuda Triangle – a menace or a myth?

– Check out the run-in to Newport on our App

ALICANTE, Spain, May 4 – The Volvo Ocean Race fleet found fair winds rather then the ill fortune of repute as they raced through the Bermuda Triangle in the thrilling Leg 6 race towards Newport, Rhode Island, USA, on Monday. They all have under 1,000 nautical miles (nm) to go.

The six boats had feared a slow-down and fleet compression through an area of low pressure mid-Atlantic in the geographic triangle that separates Bermuda, Costa Rica and Miami, but instead the crews continued virtually unhindered.

Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA), so determined to close the seven-point gap on overall race leaders Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR), continued to hold a slight 7.4nm advantage in the latest position report on Monday (0940 UTC).

Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) led the chasing pack with Azzam hot on their heels 3.3nm astern of them (see panel above). The three had opened up a small gap over MAPFRE (Xabi Fernández/ESP), who were having their own dogfight with Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA), some 17nm behind Ian Walker’s crew.

MAPFRE suffered a brief scare when the boat was knocked down to crash flat on its side, before it swifly righted itself courtesy of swift teamwork among the crew.

Team SCA, to the east of those two packs, were still struggling to keep pace, some 82.9nm behind Dongfeng.

The six boats are expected to escape the Bermuda Triangle later in the day and then face one last major gybe on Tuesday evening before the final sprint for the finish line after an absorbing 5,010nm leg.

Many of the sailors have been admitting that the relentless close quarter sailing of six well-matched crews on identical Volvo Ocean 65 boats is beginning to take its toll on nerves and body alike after seven months at sea.

Charles Caudrelier, skipper of the stage leaders Dongfeng Race Team, summed up: “According to the clouds and narrow corridors of wind, we have good and bad phases. It grinds down the nerves. The one-design (boat) has totally changed the regatta on the water.”

At the other end of the fleet, Sam Davies, of Team SCA, is equally feeling the pace. “I feel like the last seven months of racing is taking its toll on my body and I am trying to play catch-up in order to be able to do my job properly,” she wrote. “This racing is a crazy life.”

The boats are forecasted to arrive in Newport on May 7 after 17 days of sailing from Itajaí, Brazil. They will then have 10 days in dock for maintenance before setting off for the final transatlantic crossing to Lisbon, Portugal.

There are then two more legs taking in France (Lorient), The Netherlands (The Hague) and Sweden, with the race concluding on June 27 in Gothenburg after nine months of racing.

via Feeling the pace | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Tactical decisions, exhaustion – and seaweed – were the main preoccupations of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet midway through Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race on Friday as the teams hurtled towards a point east of the Caribbean (full report below).

– Tough going for all the fleet

– Turn-off ahead east of the Caribbean

– Follow how the crews cope on our App

ALICANTE, Spain, May 1 – Tactical decisions, exhaustion – and seaweed – were the main preoccupations of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet midway through Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race on Friday as the teams hurtled towards a point east of the Caribbean.

The six crews continued to be closely matched with less than 10 nautical miles (nm) separating the first three and just over 65nm from first to last, but they are now well split laterally and can no longer cover each other’s moves via the onboard Automatic Identification System (AIS).

Overall race leaders Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) held the slenderest of leads (see panel above) from Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) with both facing their challenges on the 5,010nm stage from Itajaí, Brazil, to Newport, Rhode Island.

For Briton Walker, it was seaweed which was the current concern.

“We would have had a really good last position report averaging over 20 knots until the last hour when we got so tangled up in seaweed it caused numerous involuntary broaches, lots of attempts at clearing it and in the end we had to do our second back down,” he reported in his latest blog from the boat.

“It has been better recently but the problem never really fully goes away. I remember the seaweed being bad in the last race, but not this bad. It is getting quite hard to race through here sensibly.”

Behind him, Caudrelier’s main concern was the forthcoming gybe east of the Caribbean islands, in a more northerly direction, as they attempted to catch the Emirati boat while keeping Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED), MAPFRE (Xabi Fernández/ESP), Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) and Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) at bay.

“It doesn’t look like we’ll be heading for the Caribbean,” he wrote in his blog on Thursday night. “Shame as we were well placed to head that way but it’s okay as our good speed is saving us for the moment.”

The Frenchman, 41, admitted he was feeling the pace in a nine-month offshore test of stamina as well as seamanship.

“I am feeling tired, or rather, worn out. This is our sixth leg of 20 days and this one has come right after the stressful Southern Ocean leg.

“When a competitor comes up to you on the dock and says ‘this is my last ever Volvo, never again’, while he’s fighting for victory, you know that, he too, is struggling and not even trying to hide it.

“The end of this race will be won by the last men standing.”

Towards the other end of the fleet, Team Alvimedica continued to bide their time in the hope of a change of fortunes in the race to their home port of Newport.

“We’ll likely sail east of the Caribbean before spearing off into the Atlantic towards Bermuda,” said Onboard Reporter, Amory Ross.

“There lies an area of high pressure and light wind that could potentially split the fleet near the mid-Atlantic coastline and it’s as good a chance as we’ll get to try to catch up with the leaders.”

The boats are forecast to arrive at their destination between May 7 and 8. They will have 10 days in Newport for boat maintenance before heading out to Lisbon, Portugal, on May 17 for one final crossing of the Atlantic.

There are then two final legs that will take the fleet to France (Lorient), the Netherlands (The Hague) and Sweden (Gothenburg) before the race reaches its conclusion on June 27.

via All tangled up| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Most of Team Vestas Wind crew members have been reunited in Bergamo, Italy, at the Persico shipyard where the rebuilt process progresses swiftly and on a very tight schedule to make it possible for the boat to be in Lisbon, ready to join in for the last legs of the Volvo Ocean Race (see full story below).

– Vestas Wind shore chief Cox amazed by Persico rebuild

– But schedule is still tight to return Danish boat to race

– Follow the progress of Team Vestas Wind here

ALICANTE, Spain, April 30 – Most of Team Vestas Wind crew members have been reunited in Bergamo, Italy, at the Persico shipyard where the rebuilt process progresses swiftly and on a very tight schedule to make it possible for the boat to be in Lisbon, ready to join in for the last legs of the Volvo Ocean Race

The shed at Persico Marine in Bergamo, Italy, is bustling with activity with dozens of people working on the different parts of the re-born Vestas Wind boat and, with most the team now reunited on site, the final works and preparations have even been pushed forward.

With less than one month to go to the Lisbon stopover, the schedule is tighter than ever – another race against time since the blue boat crashed on a coral reef in the Indian Ocean on November 29 during Leg 2.

“We managed to build 70% of the boat in half of the time that would normally be needed.” explained shore manager Neil Cox.

“The hull is totally new, 60% of the internal structures have been replaced, while we managed to keep some 70% of the original deck. The deck was the only part that hasn’t been produced here, but at Multipast in France.”

The boat was deconstructed piece by piece before the real re-built process could begin, with the help of a highly specialised team of up to 24 people coming from all over the world, working in shifts.

“It’s incredible how much you discover by doing that. It’s a really tough and reliable boat.” said Cox, who explained that possibly the hardest part was to adhere to the Volvo Ocean 65’s strict one-design rule.

Persico Marine’s project manager, Matteo Bisio, confirmed that the one design concept has been key all along the process, with him working in the closest co-operation with class measurer James Dadd and every piece measured, weighed and verified.

Bisio stressed that the rebuilt was “a massive challenge” for the company to accept. “From the very beginning, we believed we could make it or we wouldn’t have agreed. We are very proud to have contributed to get Vestas Wind back in the race,” he said.

Now, with the hull and deck joined together, the paint work ready to start, the focus is on the equipment: electronics, engine, hydraulics, deck hardware, everything new or recovered has to be re-mounted on Vestas Wind with the help of the crew members and staff from the different suppliers.

Skipper Chris Nicholson confirmed that what has been done so far represents a huge achievement. “Everyone has done a fantastic job, showed total dedication to the project. I must also thank Persico. I don’t think many other shipyards would have accepted to face such a huge challenge,” he said.

The team aims to be ready to leave Italy on time to reach their number one objective: being on the Leg 8 starting line in Lisbon on June 7.

Nicholson knows that his team has been racing a completely different kind of race. “Sure, it’s an entirely different spirit, but it’s in the Volvo Ocean Race’s DNA, adversities are part of this event and of offshore sailing and one has to cope with them.” said Nicholson, who confirmed that the plan is to announce the name of the new navigator during the Newport stopover.

The trip from Northern Italy to Lisbon could take as long as seven days and the possibility of having the boat transported by ferry to Spain is being evaluated.

“The new mast and the bulb will be awaiting for us in Portugal, then we’ll have three or four days on the cradle to fit all the remaining parts, do the necessary tests and hopefully be ready for sailing a couple of days before the Lisbon in-port race.” said Cox.

via ’70 per cent rebuild, in half the time’| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

OverallleadersAbuDhabiOceanRacing(IanWalker/GBR)positionedthemselvesominouslyattheheadofthefleetmidwaythroughLeg6onWednesdayasthesixboatscontinuedtojostleforposition(fullstorybelow).-AbuDhabiOceanRacingsnatchthinlead-SkipperWalkerreadyto‘playtheangles’-FollowthisabsorbinglegallthewayonourAppALICANTE,Spain,April29–OverallleadersAbuDhabiOceanRacing(IanWalker/GBR)positionedthemselvesominouslyattheheadofthefleetmidwaythroughLeg6onWednesdayasthesixboatscontinuedtojostleforposition.Atthebeginningoftheweek,theEmiraticrew,whichhasaseven-pointleadatthetopafterfiveoftheninestages,wereconcernedtheywerelosingtouchwiththepace-settersastheyfellsome20nauticalmiles(nm)offtheleadtothewestofthemainpack.Slowlybutsurely,however,theyhaveedgedtheirwaybackuptheleaderboardandfinallyoverhauledTeamBrunel(BouweBekking/NED)atthetopearlyonWednesday(0940UTC),albeitbythethinnestofmargins(0.5nm)fromtheDutchboat.Therearestilljustunderhalftheoverallracepointstoraceforandmorethan2,500nmleftina5,010nmlegfromItajaí,Brazil,toNewport,RhodeIsland,USA,wheretheboatsareexpectedtoarrivearoundMay7.ButthemoodonAzzamis,understandably,skyhighandthereisaclearconfidenceinthewaynavigatorSimonFisher(GBR)isroutingtheboatthroughtheAtlantictowardstheCaribbeanislands.Certainly,skipperIanWalkerisreallyenjoyingthecat-and-mousesailingasthelatestblogfromOnboardReporter,MattKnighton(USA),illustrated.“Ianloveshowthisisplayingout.Nobreakawaystothesouthornorth–everyoneisholdingtogether,”Knightonwrote.“Withthethousandsofmilesleftonthetrack,he’spatienttowait.It’saboatspeedandanglesgameonceagainandhe’skeentoplay.“It’snowaboutmanagingthetopthreeteamsandkeepingtheboatinonepiece–anotherreasonwe’rethankfulfortheshapeofoursailsafterfivelegs.”Whileothers’sailsarebeginningtolookdistinctlybattered,Walkerhasbeenproudoftheconservativewayhehasmanagedhissailwardrobe–astrategywhichcouldpayhandsomedividendsastheraceentersthehomestraightinEuropeinafewweeks’time.Thelegandtherace,however,arealong,longwayfrombeingdecidedandallofthesixcrewswillstillconsiderthemselvesverymuchinthehunt,especiallywithamajorgybetocarryouttowardsUSAoncetheyhavepassednorthoftheVirginIslandsovertheweekend.DongfengRaceTeam(CharlesCaudrelier/FRA),secondoverall,areonly1.2nmoffAbuDhabiOceanRacing’sleadwithMAPFRE(XabiFernández/ESP)1.7nmasternofthem(seepanelabove).TeamSCA(SamDavies/GBR)lostgroundastheysteeredfromfurthesteasttowestofthepackwhileTeamAlvimedica(CharlieEnright/USA)alsolostafewmilestotherestastheytuckedintothecentreofthepelotonfromaleewardposition.Meanwhile,Enrighthasbeennamedoneof14ambassadorsfor11thHourRacing.TheprogrammeispartofTheSchmidtFamilyFoundationandseekstoestablishanewplatform,emphasisingtheresponsibleuseofenergyandresourcesinthecontextofsailing.Enrightandhisfellowambassadorswillaimtoinfluencepositivelythesailingindustryandpromotemarinestewardship.HewillspeakonthethreatofmarinedebrisataforthcomingOceanSummitonthesubjectattheNewportstopoveronMay15.

via Thewaitinggame|VolvoOceanRace2014-2015.

The Volvo Ocean Race finally headed for the ‘homeward’ stretch after crossing the Equator for the fourth and final time on Tuesday – but there was no room to celebrate with a major decision facing all the boats in the next 24 hours (full story below).- Fleet crosses the Equator for final time- Big routing decision facing navigators – Follow what they opt to do on our great AppALICANTE, Spain, April 28 – The Volvo Ocean Race finally headed for the ‘homeward’ stretch after crossing the Equator for the fourth and final time on Tuesday – but there was no room to celebrate with a major decision facing all the boats in the next 24 hours.The fleet still has a long way to go before the race reaches its climax in the final week of June in Gothenburg, Sweden, having set out on the 38,739-nautical mile (nm), nine-month marathon back in Alicante, Spain, on October 11.But it has made its farewells to the Southern Hemisphere for the final time in this edition, with all six boats tightly bunched as they entered the north Atlantic with just under 3,000nm still to race in Leg 6 before arriving in Newport, Rhode Island, USA, around May 7.Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) held a narrow lead of 4.1nm from Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) and MAPFRE (Xabi Fernández/ESP) with overall race leaders Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR), Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) and Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) still very much in contention (see panel above).The fleet is heading for an area of light winds before entering what official race meteorologist, Gonzalo Infante (ESP), described as a ‘cone of possibilities and decisions’.Each skipper and his navigator will need to decide whether east or west – or something in between – is the best direction and stick to that course. “It’s like arriving at a junction and having a variety of decisions about which road to take,” Infante explained.“After they take an option, that route will not intersect with the others until they reach Newport. Mind you, it could be that they all take the same route.”Meanwhile, several sailors were taking stock of passing the Equator and, effectively, completing a navigation of the globe – although this round-the-world race still has to take in its only North American stop in Newport before re-crossing the Atlantic and taking on its European ‘tour’ of Portugal (Lisbon), France (Lorient), The Netherlands (The Hague) and, finally, Sweden (Gothenburg).“This is not a race to the Equator, but crossing the Equator for the last time is a part of our trip around the world,” said Team SCA skipper, Sam Davies, who is enjoying probably her best leg to date.“My objective is to do really well in this race and particularly this leg. Having crossed the Atlantic more times than I remember, when we crossed last night I couldn’t help but feel a bit more at ease. I’m back in my territory, the north Atlantic.“For the race, it’s not a big milestone, but for me personally, I’m happy to be back here.”Abu Dhabi Ocean Race skipper, Ian Walker, felt similarly.“To circumnavigate the world by ocean puts you in an exclusive group of seafarers and one which the whole crew is proud to be a part of,” the twice-Olympic silver medallist from Britain said.“Returning to the north marks a change of pace for the race. From now on the legs become rapid-fire; they get shorter and quicker and there’s a lot at stake before the race ends in Sweden. Forty five per cent of the points are ahead of us.”MAPFRE, however, were still cursing their luck after running under clouds over the past 24 hours, which sucked away wind pressure and slowed the boat.“There’s some separation in the fleet and it depends on if you have luck or not with the cloud you catch, whether you gain or lose ground,” said navigator, Jean-Luc Nélias (FRA), on Tuesday.“From yesterday, for us it’s been more loss than gain, but we will see further down the line whether the others also catch the wrong kind of cloud.”

via ‘A cone of possibilities’ | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA), fully recovered from the trauma of breaking their mast on the last leg, narrowly led the chase to Newport, Rhode Island, USA, on Monday (full story below).

– Skipper Caudrelier feels the stress at head of fleet

– MAPFRE and Team Brunel keep up the pressure

– Follow all the ups and down of the race on our App

ALICANTE, Spain, April 27 – Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA), fully recovered from the trauma of breaking their mast on the last leg, narrowly led the chase to Newport, Rhode Island, USA, on Monday.

There was no room for the slightest complacency on the Chinese boat, with MAPFRE (Xabi Fernández/ESP) hot on their heels just 4.6 nautical miles (nm) astern, and Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) a further two nautical miles behind.

Even Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA), so determined to win the 5,010nm stage from Itajaí, Brazil, to their home port of Newport, were far from out of contention.

Although in last place of the six boats, they were only 23.3 miles adrift of the leaders (see panel above). Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) and overall race leaders, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR), were also handily positioned, 19.5nm and 19.7nm respectively behind Dongfeng Race Team.

For Caudrelier the tension only continues to grow. After surprising most by sharing the points lead with the Emirati boat after four legs, they were forced to limp to Argentina and safety after fracturing the top of their mast 200nm from Cape Horn during Leg 5.

There was no option, but to replace their rig with only a couple of days to spare before the Team Vestas Wind Itajaí In-Port Race and the Chinese team’s skipper was concerned that the rig had not been fully tuned before starting Leg 6 on April 19.

If he were worried that Dongfeng would have lost the boat speed that posed such a threat to their competitors earlier in the race, then so far those fears have proved groundless.

Francisco Vignale, Onboard Reporter for MAPFRE, was trying to work out at the weekend how Caudrelier’s crew were extracting such pace from their identical, one-design Volvo Ocean 65.

“Dongfeng is sailing so fast that the team have been taking around half mile on each watch (every four hours),” he wrote. “All of this is a bit desperate and frustrating since we do not know why and how they always have that extra speed. Is it the mast? Do they have a new mainsail?”

Caudrelier sounded like a man who would love to know the secret himself. In a recent blog from his boat he wrote: “The wind is very light and unstable and each of the boats has good and bad phases. It’s hard on the nerves, no gain is ever for keeps.

“This Volvo Ocean Race is really something else. The move to a one-design boat has changed the race and made it even tougher. The permanent contact with our competitors is tiring and stressful.”

The fleet is expected to reach Newport from May 6-8 after around 17-19 days of sailing from Brazil through the Atlantic.

Over the next few days, they are likely to be pushed along by a two-knot current behind them, giving the entire fleet an ‘escalator’ effect.

After this leg, they have three more stages to negotiate, finally completing the 38,739nm, nine-month offshore marathon in the last week of June in Gothenburg, Sweden.

via No room for complacency| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

American Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA), who are dreaming of winning the Volvo Ocean Race’s sixth leg to their home port of Newport, Rhode Island, USA, snatched a narrow lead on Friday (full story below).

– Team Alvimedica snatch narrow Leg 6 lead

– Women fix winch breakage on Team SCA

– Follow all the latest news on our App

ALICANTE, Spain, April 24 – American Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA), who are dreaming of winning the Volvo Ocean Race’s sixth leg to their home port of Newport, Rhode Island, USA, snatched a narrow lead on Friday.

The 5,010-nautical mile (nm) stage from Itajaí, Brazil, to Newport could not be more finely balanced as, once again, the six boats are incredibly closely matched in the Atlantic as they headed from South to North America.

After leaving a windless Itajaí on Sunday, overall race leaders Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR), have had their noses narrowly in front for a large part, but the rest of the fleet have been no more than 10nm adrift for much of that time.

With some squally conditions and shifting winds as the boats progressed away from the Brazilian coast, the fleet finally showed some sign of separation – but it is still anyone’s leg to win, with more than 4,000nm to sail.

Enright’s crew overtook the Emirati boat early on Friday (0940 UTC) and claimed a slim lead of 8nm with Chinese challengers Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) some 3.5nm further behind (see panel above).

Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR), who had concerns about their key fractional code zero (FRO) sail before the leg and then broke a winch, threatened briefly to take the lead themselves on Thursday before falling back.

Onboard reporter Corinna Halloran (USA) explained that there was plenty of work to be done after the team discovered their portside runner winch housing had cracked.

“We are currently fixing the cracked winch. However, the repair will not be ideal and still might cause trouble,” she wrote in a daily blog from the boat.

“The odds of that happening are pretty much a billion to one,” added British crew member Abby Ehler.

That particular winch takes up to 10 tonnes of load as the runner helps to hold up the rig.

The women’s boat, however, was still very well placed in fourth with Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) to their their stern, and MAPFRE (Xabi Fernández/ESP) currently bringing up the rear, 14.5nm behind the leaders.

The latest projections are that the fleet will arrive in Newport between May 6-8 after 17-19 days of sailing.

Abu Dhabi Ocean moved seven points clear at the top after winning Leg 5, but there are still just under half of the overall points up for grabs with four stages, including the current one, to race before the climax in Gothenburg in the last week of June.

via Heading the race for home| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.