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One Design For The America’s Cup!

01 Apr 2015

Martin Whitmarsh has been trying to get away from Bernie for years…

APRIL 1, 2015: The America’s Cup is famous for many things… including high seas and shore based drama and skullduggery.

But Tuesday’s vote on the boat to be used in 2017 puts everything in the past to the status of minor footnotes.

The next America’s Cup will be sailed on AC45s… but they will be One Design and supplied by a single builder, Green Marine in the UK. Each team will purchase two boats for a total of 10m pounds.

Sails to be supplied by as yet-to-be-named sailmaker but will also be subject to strict one design rules.

The cost savings to teams are going to be huge. A full one campaign could cost as little as £25 to £30 million, including salaries and travel, said one America’s Cup source.

“This is the game changer to beat all others” said Sir Russell Coutts. “Finally the America’s Cup will be properly focused on sailing skills and not whatever titanium-molybdenum-unobtainium composite honeycomb someone comes up with at 10K per square centimetre.”

All eyes were on Luna Rossa supremo Patrizio Bertelli, who last week warned that the Prada sponsored team would leave the America’s Cup entirely if the proposed AC62 was not chosen.

“We’re in!” was Bertelli’s comments at a hastily convened press conference at the Formula 1 Group headquarters in Geneva.

In a doubly shocking day, Bertelli said: “the cost savings are so immense that I’ve decided to not only compete, and win, the 2017 America’s Cup, but Prada will also sponsor a new Italian Formula 1 team and we are in discussions with Silvio Berlusconi for a revived Mille Miglia in 2016. We hope to get Bernie [Ecclestone] out for a spin on an AC45 at Cagliari soon.”

A visibly distraught Martin Whitmarsh spoke to reporters from the BAR base in Southampton: “I left Formula 1 to get away from Ecclestone and others that have turned the pinnacle of motorsports into a billionaires’ Death Race 2000. God save this sport now…”

Readers; please bear in mind the date of this story published in Scuttlebutt Europe today…

via Boating Business – One Design For The America’s Cup!.

One of Spain’s leading sailors, Javier de la Plaza, has been called up by Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) to fill an important gap in their Volvo Ocean Race crew (full story below).

– Team Brunel sign up top Spanish sailor De la Plaza

– Telefónica partnership with Bekking is renewed

– De Ridder leaves to honour non-race commitments

ALICANTE, Spain, April 8 – One of Spain’s leading sailors, Javier de la Plaza, has been called up by Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) to fill an important gap in their Volvo Ocean Race crew.

After Frenchman Laurent Pagès was forced out through injury, Dirk de Ridder (NED) stepped in for Leg 5, which the Dutch boat completed on Sunday in fourth place behind winners, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR).

However, De Ridder has explained that he has existing commitments outside the race and cannot continue.

De la Plaza should make the perfect replacement, according to skipper Bekking.

“We knew in advance that Dirk de Ridder had other commitments and could only sail with us on one leg,” he said.

“Javier is an excellent replacement. I know him from my time with Telefónica. He’s the best genoa trimmer in Europe and an excellent helmsman.”

The Spaniard sailed for Telefónica Black in the 2008-09 edition – Bekking was skipper of Telefónica Blue – and has an enviable competitive record.

In 2000, he was world champion in the 49er – a two-man dinghy that is a favourite of Volvo Ocean Race skippers such as MAPFRE’S Iker Martínez and Team Vestas Wind’s Chris Nicholson.

In the same class, he won silver and bronze at the European Championships in 1999 and 2001.

He took fourth place in the 49er class at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. He also recorded many victories in the eight-metre J/80 keelboat culminating in gold at the 2007 and 2010 world Championships.

Last year, De la Plaza was mostly active in the Melges 32 and TP52 one-design classes.

“When I was asked to sail on Telefónica Black in 2008, it was my biggest dream come true. Apart from the America’s Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race is the pinnacle of sailing,” said De la Plaza.

“Every top sailor has to sail in the Volvo Ocean Race at least once in his lifetime. I’m specialised in trimming, but I still love to drive a boat. I’m going to try to achieve a good result with the team.”

Volvo Ocean Race latest standings (after Leg 5, lowest points wins, in-port race series separate ties): 1) Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 9 pts, 2) Dongfeng Race Team (China) 16, 3) Team Brunel (Netherlands) 18, 4) MAPFRE (Spain) 18, 5) Team Alvimedica (Turkey/U.S.) 19, 6) Team SCA (Sweden) 29, 7) Team Vestas Wind (Denmark) 36.

via Welcome aboard!| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Battered, bruised, but defiant to the last, Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) finally completed a gruelling Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race on Tuesday to a well-deserved Brazilian welcome fit for heroines (full story below).

– Brave Team SCA finally complete Leg 5 to huge welcome

– List of repairs in store for shore crew to battered boat

– Dongfeng Race Team continue delivery to Itajaí

ITAJAÍ, Brazil, April 7 – Battered, bruised, but defiant to the last, Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) finally completed a gruelling Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race on Tuesday and arrived to a well-deserved Brazilian welcome fit for heroines.

Itajaí reserved its very best weather for the arrival of the first all-women’s crew to enter the race for 12 years, a sharp contrast to the conditions the team have battled with since leaving Auckland on March 18.

At the beginning of last week, having struggled in 50 knots of wind (92 km per hour) and a confused sea state, Team SCA were one of three crews to crash on their sides during a Chinese gybe, damaging their fractional code zero, a key sail in the process.

The setback left them with no chance of keeping pace with the main racing pack led by winners, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR), which completed the 6,776-nautical mile (nm) leg on Sunday.

At one stage, they also lost their electronics overnight, effectively sailing blind in the Southern Ocean.

Then, last Sunday, they were rocked again by three collisions with unidentified objects as they raced up the Brazilian coast in the South Atlantic, the first doing considerable damage to the rudder.

Undaunted, Davies and her 11-strong crew battled on to finish the event’s toughest leg at around 1352 GMT (local time 1052) on Tuesday (see panel for elapsed times).

“We made it to dock! We made mistakes, we had things go wrong, but we fixed it all and we’ve made it here, and we’re in one piece so we’re happy,” said the British skipper.

“We proved at the beginning that we could keep up with the others, but then we broke our fractional sail, the sail that we really needed for this leg.

“So we kind of let ourselves down by losing that sail. It was really, really hard; we were frustrated. There was nothing much we could do in certain conditions without our fractional.

“The race became a bit of different challenge from then on.”

Team SCA have earned five points to take their overall tally to 29.

The shore crew, working with the race’s Boatyard team, will now have a busy few days ensuring the boat is back to optimum condition ready for the Team Vestas Wind Itajaí In-Port race on April 18 and the Leg 6 departure for Newport, Rhode Island, a day later.

Meanwhile, Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA), who were forced to retire from the leg after breaking their mast on Monday last week, are delivering their stricken boat to Itajaí under sail and motor.

They will have about four days to have their boat repaired in time for the Newport departure.

via We made it!| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Corrects 7th paragraph, to make clear Team SCA are first all-female team in 12 years to contest the race: Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) were still doggedly battling the elements on Monday to reach their destination in Itajaí, south-east Brazil, more than 12 hours after the leaders had finished Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race (full report below).

– Three ‘hits’ but Swedish boat sails doggedly on

– Dongfeng Racing Team motors on for Itajaí mast refit

– Khalid set for return to victorious Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing

ITAJAÍ, Brazil, April 6 – Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) were still doggedly battling the elements on Monday to reach their destination in Itajaí, south-east Brazil, more than 12 hours after the leaders had finished Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race.

Rarely in the 41-year history of the race can a team have worked so hard to clinch points for fifth place.

A week after crashing to their side in a Chinese gybe and damaging a key sail, the all-women crew found themselves toppled again after colliding into an unidentified object in the south Atlantic.

That did some damage to their port rudder, yet their run of bad luck, which denied them a possible finish alongside leg winners Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR), MAPFRE (Iker Martínez/ESP), Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) and Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) on Sunday night, was not over yet.

They suffered two further ‘hits’ in the dark – mercifully, causing little damage – before continuing on their way.

By 0940 UTC on Monday, they had just over 400 nautical miles (nm) of the 6,766nm leg to sail, with an expected time of arrival in Itajaí of 1600 UTC on Tuesday.

Team SCA’s Onboard Reporter, Anna-Lena Elled (SWE), summed up one hell of a tough day at the office for the first all-female team to contest offshore sailing’s most challenging race in 12 years:

“As is so often the case, when you least expect something to happen it does and BOOM! we hit something with the port rudder,” she wrote in her daily blog from the boat.

“The boat turned around, tacked and capsized, and once again, we were on our side. The crew managed to right the situation quickly without any further damage, except on the rudder that got hit.

“A two-hour long process of surveying and attempting to restore the damaged parts followed before we could continue our journey towards the finish line again.

“A few hours later we had one more hit, this time in the keel – and before sunset another one. What are the odds?”

At least they had the consolation of knowing that they weren’t alone in their misfortune during the longest and toughest leg in the 12th edition.

Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) were forced to pull out last week after the top of their mast fractured and a delivery crew is currently nursing the boat to Itajaí where they will have a new rig fitted.

It will be a race against time to be ready for the start of Leg 6 to Newport, Rhode Island, which departs from Itajaí on April 19.

Meantime, victors Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing were celebrating Sunday’s epic Leg 5 victory, which leaves them seven points clear at the top of the standings, and front-runners for the IWC 24-hour Speed Record Challenge, having covered 551nm during the stage from Auckland to Brazil.

And there was more good news for skipper Ian Walker, with the crew’s sole Emirati, Adil Khalid (UAE), once more back to full fitness having missed the previous two legs due to illness.

“As part of my recovery plan, I stayed on Sir Bani Yas Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi, where I had a rigorous fitness regime. I did six hours in the gym every day and had a nutritionist and physical trainer on hand to monitor my progress,” said Khalid.

“It was tough, but I’m now fully cleared for action and right back up to the levels I have to be at to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race.”

via CORRECTED: ‘The Undaunted’ – Team SCA women battle on| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) buried the miserable memories of three years ago to win an epic Southern Ocean/south Atlantic crossing in Leg 5 and claim their second stage victory in the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 (full story below).

– Walker celebrates epic Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing win

– Emirati boat moves seven points clear at top

– MAPFRE, Team Alvimedica and Team Brunel chase them home

– Team SCA rocked by another setback as rudder breaks

ITAJAÍ, Brazil, April 5 – Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) buried the miserable memories of three years ago to win an epic Southern Ocean/south Atlantic crossing in Leg 5 and claim their second stage victory in the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15.

In 2012, Walker’s crew were forced to return to Auckland with hull damage and eventually retired from the leg to Itajaí, Brazil.

They must have feared more of the same when Cyclone Pam delayed the departure from New Zealand for three days, but despite taking the worst that the Southern Ocean and then the south Atlantic could throw at them, the Emirati team emerged triumphant after nearly 19 days of ultra-challenging, super-tight sailing.

Amazingly, skipper Ian Walker reported that they had reached Itajaí with the least amount of work for their shore crew to do of any leg so far in this edition.

To add the icing to their cake, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing set the new best mark in the chase for IWC prize for the most nautical miles (nm) sailed in 24 hours with 551nm leading up to Cape Horn.

“Awesome. It’s been such a monster of a leg, we were so, so stoked with the 24-hour record,” said a jubilant Walker, 45, straight after crossing the line in front of a waterfront packed by thousands of spectators.

“That (IWC record) was actually what got us back up with the leaders. Since then we have sailed very, very well. It’s a very tight finish.”

He credited his team’s versatility for much of their success (elapsed time for Leg 5: 18 days 23 hours 30 minutes 10 seconds).

“Seven out of eight of our guys drive, so nobody has to drive for too long. We rotate everybody and I can’t speak highly enough of everybody in our team.”

He added that he dropped the keel on two occasions in the heaviest of the weather with 50-knot winds (92.6 kilometres an hour) buffeting the fleet, losing some ground, but keeping his boat intact.

“In hindsight, that looks a pretty shrewd decision,” Walker said.

The stage victory leaves Walker’s team seven points clear at the top of the standings with five of the nine legs now completed.

That gap was opened up following the misfortune of a broken mast, which struck Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) early last Monday and led to their retirement from the leg two days later.

The Chinese boat is now being sailed, partly under motor, to Itajaí where its shore crew face a race against time to have the new mast refitted in time for the start of the next leg to Newport, Rhode Island, on April 19.

They will pick up eight points (low points wins) after failing to finish the stage and now stand on 16, still in second place, but only two ahead of MAPFRE and Team Brunel. Team Alvimedica are one further behind with Team SCA expected to finish on 29.

Walker, in his third race, is far too experienced to take anything for granted yet, however, despite becoming the first team to clinch their second stage win of the 2014-15 edition.

The leg was incredibly closely fought throughout its 6,776nm with MAPFRE (Iker Martínez/ESP), Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) and Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) chasing Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing all the way to Itajaí and finishing in that order.

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing beat the Spanish team by a little over 32 minutes with less than an hour separating the leading four (see panel above).

As usual, Walker barely enjoyed a wink of sleep over the final 48 hours with his pursuers no more than 2-10nm behind him all that time.

Apart from the closeness of the racing – virtually unprecedented in the 41-year history of the race – the leg will be remembered for living up to its reputation as the most fearsome in the nine-month offshore marathon.

Along from Dongfeng’s broken mast, there were at least three cases of Chinese gybes when the boats crashed to their sides before righting, and there were numerous cases of other sail and equipment breakages.

Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) had more than their share of problems, damaging three sails and then suffering a port rudder breakage on Sunday. They are expected to finish the leg on Tuesday.

In all, the fleet will cover 38,739nm and visit 11 ports and every continent. The race concludes in Gothenburg, Sweden, on June 27.

Leg 5 finishing times

1. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing – 18 days 23 hours 30 minutes 10 seconds

2. MAFPRE – 19d 00h 02min 56s

3. Team Alvimedica – 19d 00h 24min 32s

4. Team Brunel – 19d 00h 25min 48s

via ‘A monster of a leg’ ends in glory| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Itajaí was gearing up for a thrilling finale to one of the most closely contested Southern Ocean/south Atlantic legs in the 41-year history of the Volvo Ocean Race with four boats still in with a chance of an epic victory on Sunday evening (see full story below).

– Four make it a fight to the finish on Sunday

– Team SCA battle on despite sail damage

– Dongfeng Race Team in own race against time

– Why does Brazil love the event so much? (see below)

ITAJAÍ, Brazil, April 4 – Itajaí was gearing up for a thrilling finale to one of the most closely contested Southern Ocean/south Atlantic legs in the 41-year history of the Volvo Ocean Race with four boats still in with a chance of an epic victory on Sunday evening.

The south-eastern Brazilian port is already a major centre of race fans following the last visit in 2011-12 when tens of thousands turned out to greet the boats into their harbour.

Sunday’s climax to three weeks and 6,776 nautical miles (nm) of classic, rough ocean racing could well surpass that, with excitement in the city at fever pitch already.

In 2012, PUMA were clear winners; this time it promises to be a four-way sprint all the way to the finish.

At 0940 UTC on Saturday, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) still had their noses just in front, but an incredibly tight 6.5nm separated them from fourth-placed boat Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) with MAPFRE (Iker Martínez/ESP) and Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) sandwiched in between (see panel above).

The leg, from Auckland, has once again lived up to its notorious reputation as a real boat-breaker.

Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) were forced to retire from the stage midweek after breaking their mast on Monday.

They are currently making their way to Itajaí, under sail and motor, in their own race against time to refit a new mast ready for Leg 6 to Newport, Rhode Island, on April 19.

They join Team Vestas Wind (Chris Nicholson/AUS) as temporarily out of the race with the Danish boat currently undergoing a rebuild at the Persico boatyard in Bergamo, Italy, with the aim of returning to action for Legs 8 and 9 in June.

At the back of the racing fleet, Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) continue to battle on doggedly following damage to three sails, but higher pressure for them cut dozens of nautical miles off their deficit and at 0940 UTC, they trailed by around 585nm.

Team Brunel, meanwhile, added to the growing list of repairs needed in Itajaí when their key J1 sail ripped for the second time overnight.

Louis Balcaen (BEL) conceded: “This is a downer: We were doing so well; we really, really came back. And now we will miss the main sail! Acid! But we’ll find something else!”

The leading boats are expected to arrive in Itajaí from 1900-2100 UTC on Sunday with tough conditions continuing to the last (see latest Watch Log).

They have one more major tack to take, midway through Saturday, before reaching Brazil. Team SCA are expected to complete the most testing of all nine legs a little over 24 hours later.

Victory would give Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing a seven-point lead at the top of the standings, but with four legs to go of the 38,739nm marathon there’s still all to sail for before offshore sailing’s leading challenge finishes on June 27 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

via Itajaí at fever pitch| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Why is Brazil  in love with the Volvo Ocean Race?

It’s been on the Volvo Ocean Race’s map since the beginning. The country has hosted eight stopovers since the first edition in 1973-74.

1973-74 – Rio de Janeiro

1977-78 – Rio de Janeiro

1997-98 – São Sebastião

2001-02 – Rio de Janeiro

2005-06 – Rio de Janeiro

2008-09 – Rio de Janeiro

2011-12 – Itajaí

2014-15 – Itajaí

Brazilian sailors have always been part of it, too. Nine of them have entered the race.

John Anderson

1977-78, Flyer

Lucas Brun

2005-06, ABN AMRO TWO

Horacio Carabelli – the Brazilian sailed the race twice before moving to the shore side

2005-06, Brasil 1

2008-09, Ericsson 4

Marceloo Ferreira

2005-06, Brasil 1

Andre Fonseca – Bochecha is our one and only Brazilian sailor this time around. He’s part of the Spanish team MAPFRE

2005-06, Brasil 1

2008-09, Delta Lloyd

2014-15, MAPFRE

Torben Grael – one of the most famous Brazilian sailors and a race winner six years ago

1997-98, Innovation Kvaerner

2005-06, Brasil 1

2008-09, Ericsson 4

Henrique Pellicano

2005-06 Brasil 1

Fernando Peres

1981-82, La Barca Laboratorio

Joao Signorini – a three-time race veteran now coach for Team SCA

2005-06, Brasil 1

2008-09, Ericsson 4

2011-12, Telefónica

They had their own Volvo Ocean Race team. Skippered by Torben Grael, Brasil 1 finished third of the 2005-06 edition. Race CEO Knut Frostad was onboard at the time. The only Brazilian team to ever compete in the race, Brasil 1 will celebrate its 10th anniversary in Itajaí.

They’ve got their own sailing legend. Torben Grael won five Olympics medals, six World Championships, the Louis Vuitton Cup in 2000 AND the Volvo Ocean Race in 2008-09 with Ericsson 4.

His brother Lars Grael is an Olympic medalist too, and he kept sailing at a high level despite losing a leg in a boating accident.

With Kahena Kunze, his daughter Martine Grael is one of the Olympic favourites in the 49er FX class for Rio 2016. Later on, Martine would love to join the race with an all-female team.

They’ve got TWO sailing legends. Robert Scheidt is world famous for his Olympic success. He’s got five Olympic medals and was crowned 13 times as a World Champion in the Star and Laser classes.

Brazil is big in Olympic sailing. Over the years, Olympic sailors have won 17 medals for Brazil – only judo got more with 19 medals! And the next Games will take place in Rio de Janeiro, though the class they’re most successful in, the Star, is now out.

Made in Brazil. The C30 is the only boat 100% made in Brazil. The ‘C’ stands for the Volvo sailor Carabelli. Bochecha, currently on MAPFRE, is also an advisor for this class.

Offshore races are more popular than you think. The sailing weeks of Ilhabela, Santa Catarina and Búzios are among the most famous. Itajaí is getting there, too. The Recife – Noronha and Buenos Aires – Rio are classics.

And that shows in the footfall in Itajaí. 282,000 visitors came to the race village in 2012 – over a quarter of a million. 28,372 people cheered for the In-Port Race, and 25,000 waved the sailors good-bye on the day of Leg 6 start.

Joao Signorini (see sailors above), the only Brazilian in the 2011-12 race, was given a memory he’ll never forget as thousands cheered him home onboard Telefónica.

Bochecha is coming home. MAPFRE’s André Fonseca is from Florianopolis, a city just 100 km south of Itajaí. A talented helmsman, he’s expected to arrive on Sunday, April 5 with the rest of the front pack.

via Itajaí at fever pitch| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

The enthralling, absorbing Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race will come to a climax on Sunday when any one of four boats could claim victory in Itajaí after three weeks and 6,776 nautical miles (nm) full of thrills and spills (full story below).

– Four pace-setters all in with chance of epic Leg 5 victory

– Lead changes three times overnight in high winds

– Team SCA battle on at back of the fleet

ALICANTE, Spain, April 3 – The enthralling, absorbing Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race will come to a climax on Sunday when any one of four boats could claim victory in Itajaí after three weeks and 6,776 nautical miles (nm) full of thrills and spills.

The stage has more than lived up to its long-standing reputation as the roughest and toughest of the entire nine-month marathon and a real boat-breaker.

It has seen the retirement of Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) following a mast breakage early on Monday, shortly before the crew was due to round Cape Horn, and at least three episodes when boats crashed to their sides in Chinese gybes.

Much more surprisingly, has been the incredibly tight racing at the head of the fleet and by 0940 UTC on Friday, it was still far too close to call with under 575nm to go.

Overnight, there were no less than three lead changes with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) emerging in front after both Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) and MAPFRE (Iker Martínez/ESP) had briefly taken over at the head of the fleet (see panel above).

Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) were by no means out of contention, either, just 17.3nm behind the leaders.

Behind them, Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) were doggedly ploughing through the south Atlantic, just over 700nm behind the leading pack with 1,277nm left to the finish in Itajaí (0940 UTC).

“It’s like being in a washing machine,” said Onboard Reporter, Anna-Lena Elled (SWE).

Victory would put Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing in a strong position after joint leaders, Dongfeng Race Team, were forced to abandon the leg and continue under motor and sail to Itajaí for a new mast fit.

But the overall race would be very far from over and, in any case, MAPFRE, winners of Leg 4, were clearly in no mood to concede a metre to their Emirati rivals.

“We have spent a crazy night, I hope the last like it in this leg,” wrote skipper Iker Martínez in a blog from his boat on Friday.

“The wind increased and veered so much that we ended up sailing at 20 knots against the waves, bouncing around.

“It seemed that everything was going to break. A porthole flew off the boat and the only safe place was the bunk, squeezed against the hull because otherwise, as the boat jumped, you could be thrown anywhere.

“We would have liked to get more miles out of the situation, but it has not been easy to steer.

“The bowmen could have been washed overboard any time so we’ve been forced to put safety first. This is the third time it’s been like this since the leg started, yet we’ve not had these kind of conditions before that since we’d left Alicante.”

He now expects a real sprint to the finish into south-east Brazil.

“The dice has rolled. Now it’s down to a high-speed race for the last few miles, while we wait for the wind to veer starboard (right) again.”

The leading four are expected to finish on Sunday afternoon/evening according to the latest estimates from Race Control.

via A sprint to the finish| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) were savouring a rare, poignant moment on Thursday after they had rounded Cape Horn in the brutal Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race to make a special tribute to their beloved coach, Magnus Olsson (full story below).

– Team SCA tribute to beloved coach

– But more trouble awaits crew in south Atlantic

– Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing hold slender Leg 5 lead

ALICANTE, Spain, April 2 – Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) were savouring a rare, poignant moment on Thursday after they had rounded Cape Horn in the brutal Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race to make a special tribute to their beloved coach, Magnus Olsson.

The Swede was one of most popular – and skilful – sailors ever to compete in the 41-year race and it was no surprise when SCA recruited him to train the first all-women’s crew in 12 years to contest offshore sailing’s toughest challenge.

Tragically, however, Olsson, 64, did not live to see his team set off for their nine-month adventure in Alicante on October 11. ‘Mange’, as he was universally known, who competed in six Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Races, died in April 2013 after suffering a stroke.

The life and sporting lessons he passed on to Team SCA, however, have not been forgotten and on Wednesday, the crew found the perfect spot at Cape Horn to say ‘thanks’.

Finally reaching the fabled point between the Southern Ocean and south Atlantic after battling through potentially boat-breaking conditions, a special ceremony was observed.

Team SCA’s Onboard Reporter, Anna-Lena Elled, recalled on Thursday: “It was a beautiful sight, the pretty wild sea and the South American cliffs shooting up from the water.

“We also had our very special moment dropping a wreath for Mange Olsson in the water. It was powerful.”

The women were carrying a eucalyptus wreath that was made in Auckland, the previous race stopover. The wreath had the 200+ messages that were left by family and friends at Olsson’s memorial service in July 2013 attached.

It was not long, however, before the women were back in the thick of hugely challenging conditions in the south Atlantic, having briefly crashed to their side in a so-called Chinese gybe, the week before.

Elled explained: “The Atlantic gave us a pretty warm welcome. Initially on the wind, but once we turned the corner and pointed towards the Maire Straits we were expecting a building breeze of up to 35 knots, but it tunneled through and increased and we saw 50 knots.

“We were dead downwind in big seas going through a relatively narrow gap. We had a pretty hairy gybe in 45 knots and in that process we damaged our J3 sail as it was full on.”

Team SCA have been very unfortunate in experiencing probably the worst conditions of any of the boats in the fleet on the toughest leg of the race. They had earlier ripped their fractional code zero sail during the Chinese gybe, putting that out of action, and their storm jib has also suffered damage.

At 0940 UTC, they trailed the rest of the racing fleet by just under 750 nautical miles (nm). Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) led the stage and overall, but were just 0.5nm clear of Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA).

MAPFRE (Iker Martínez/ESP) were 11.5nm behind the Turkish/American team and Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED), 11.4nm further adrift (see panel). That main leading pack of four now have less than 1,000nm left of the 6,776nm stage from Auckland to Itajaí.

They are expected to arrive on Sunday (April 5) with Team SCA likely to finish several days later.

Meanwhile, two teams aiming to win races against time to return to the event – Team Vestas Wind (Chris Nicholson/AUS) and Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) – have been busy on their separate projects.

The Chinese-backed Dongfeng Race Team expected to leave Ushuaia, Argentina, later on Thursday, having sought refuge there following a mast-break early on Monday approaching Cape Horn.

They will travel under sail and motor to Itajaí, aiming to have a new mast fitted in time for the Leg 6 departure to Newport, Rhode Island on April 19.

Meantime, Team Vestas Wind report solid progress in the rebuild of the Vestas Wind following its collision with an Indian Ocean reef on November 29 in Leg 2.

After two months’ hard work at the Persico yard in Bergamo, Italy, the hull and deck have now been joined together.

Their hugely challenging target is to return to the race for the final two legs from Lisbon in early June.

via Mange remembered at the Horn| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) continued to power towards Itajaí at the head of the fleet on Wednesday with the possibility of extending their overall Volvo Ocean Race lead tantalisingly within their reach.

– Dongfeng Race Team begin race against clock for repair

– Battling Team SCA rounding Cape Horn

– Reaction from last night’s Dongfeng Leg 5 retirement

ALICANTE, Spain, April 1 – Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) continued to power towards Itajaí at the head of the fleet on Wednesday with the possibility of extending their overall Volvo Ocean Race lead tantalisingly within their reach.

Walker said pre-race that consistent podium finishes could well be enough to win the event given the potential for major problems all the boats face.

That strategy looked better than ever early on Wednesday after the news late the night before that his closest rivals, Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA), were being forced to abandon Leg 5 after suffering a broken mast.

There is still a long way to go until Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing themselves are safely in port in south-eastern Brazil, but the eight points that the Chinese boat will receive for not finishing the 6,776-nautical mile stage is a major setback to their title hopes.

Victory in Itajaí would open up a seven-point lead for the Emirati crew over Dongfeng Race Team.

At 0940 UTC on Wednesday, Azzam led Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) by 9.2nm with MAPFRE (Iker Martínez/ESP) and Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) still very much in contention, trailing by 23.9nm and 37.7nm respectively.

Meantime, Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) were approaching Cape Horn around 1200 UTC after trailing the fleet following a series of setbacks including a Chinese gybe which damaged their key fractional code zero sail.

It has been a long journey from Auckland and navigator Libby Greenhalgh (GBR) summed up: “Challenging is definitely a word I would use to describe this leg and in many different ways not just because of circumstance and venue.

“I sit at the Nav station with a quote from our dearly missed (coach) Magnus Olsson as we approach one of his favourite places and gradually understand what he meant.

“’I have a love hate relationship with the Southern Ocean. You love it because it’s so thrilling but at the same time you have an enormous respect for it – you have to, otherwise you wouldn’t survive’.”

These are words that the luckless Caudrelier would certainly echo as he made plans for the quickest departure possible, under motor, to Itajaí from Ushuaia, Argentina, where their stricken boat is currently based.

“If we want to be ready, we have to leave Ushuaia as soon as possible, go straight to Itajaí, use the engine and the small sails we can use. It’s a challenge against time. We need to be there one week before the start of Leg 6 to be ready to start.

“We are 2000 miles from Itajaí. We need, for me, 10 to 12 days. We are running out of time.”

He explained his decision to quit the leg rather than try to complete it.

“If we decided to finish Leg 5 we would be last for sure, so we would have received six points. By retiring, we received eight points. It’s only two points difference but that’s quite big when you think about the overall ranking.

“But if we did that we are not sure to be ready for the next leg and we’ll lose another seven or eight points if we don’t do the next leg. We need to focus 100% on performance in the next leg, and this is our goal.”

The first four of the remaining racing fleet is expected to arrive in Itajaí around April 5-6 with Team SCA completing this most gruelling stage two or three days later.

via Azzam goes storming on| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.