illbruck due in Auckland

The Volvo Ocean Race team have been doing a training run from Fremantle and are set for an Auckland welcome

illbruck Challenge navigator Juan Vila sent in this report, the team were expected to arrive in Auckland between 8:30 am and 10:30 am local time on Saturday, December 2.

Course 127
Speed 11 knots

"Today we reached Cape Reinga at 12:30 local time. Once you see the New Zealand coast, it feels the trip is almost over. It is time to sum up how the Southern Ocean crossing has gone. In numbers, it has been a really fast crossing: 9 days, 23 hours to do the 3,050 miles between Fremantle and Cape Reinga, gives us an average of 12.7 knots. On our log book, following the course sailed, the average has been 13.4 knots. In our boat records, maximum record speed of the trip has been achieved by Ray at 30.6 knots! Our fastest 24 hour run was 414 miles from noon 23rd November to noon on the 24th.

From North Cape to Auckland, another 'race' starts. It is no longer about ocean racing now. It is coastal racing. V2's crew has changed gears to face the frequent wind shifts and changes in speed that occur along that coast. Lots of sail changes, tacks, gybes to make those last 198 miles fast. An excellent training opportunity, on our last day of our trip!"