The hard core 'sprint'

Volvo Ocean Race boats get a 40 knot pasting en route to New York

Positions at 1600GMT

Yacht	Skipper	Latitude	Longitude	SMG	CMG	DTF	DTL	DTLC
ABN AMRO ONE	Mike Sanderson	38 31.71N	074 39.89W	11	32	143	0	0
Ericsson Racing Team	Neal McDonald	38 24.57N	074 53.78W	10.8	25	154	11	-1
Pirates of the Caribbean	Paul Cayard	38 21.62N	074 45.63W	10.7	34	154	11	-1
movistar	Bouwe Bekking	38 20.74N	074 46.28W	9.7	45	155	12	-6
Brasil 1	Torben Grael	38 22.26N	074 54.51W	11	25	156	13	0
Brunel	Grant Wharington	38 18.86N	074 57.38W	9.4	33	160	17	-5
ABN AMRO TWO	Seb Josse	38 02.13N	074 59.51W	9	28	176	33	-6

The crews in the Volvo Ocean Race have this afternoon been having a heinous time on board as they make their way north to New York on this supposed sprint. Not only is the wind more headed than was being forecast before the start - in fact the boats seem to be just laying on starboard - but the depression that was supposed to be heading across to the southeast of them has slowed up and is intensifying. On board ABN AMRO One Mike Sanderson reported experiencing 40 knot winds and driving sleet.

Inevitably now that the wind is up ABN AMRO One this morning (GMT) pulled into the lead and has at the latest position report extended over her Farr-designed rivals. However while ABN AMRO One is doing well, their fellow team mates on board ABN AMRO Two are now into last place having attempted a flier heading off to the east, presumably to pick up stronger winds as they exited the Chesapeake. This tactic appears not to have worked and they have now rejoined the pack, trailling Brunel by 16 miles.

Mike Sanderson sends this from ABN AMRO One :

It would have been pretty tricky to have written anything until now , since leaving the Chesapeake it has been all go out here, very quickly on leaving the bay the wind got up over 25 knots, then half an hour later it was time to tack over and head up the coast in search for the "Big Apple" all in all it was a very bumpy night, at one stage we had steadily over 40 knots of wind and got down to 3 reefs and a #4 jib and even that was too much at times, driving the boat was just a nightmare, there was this icy sleet that was hitting the bare skin of your face like small sharp rocks, the boat was getting thrown around like clothes in a washing machine as the waves got bigger and bigger. It can't last forever though luckily and this time we managed to get through un-scathed, you always get the feeling though it is just a matter of time in one of these Grand Prix boats before something will happen, your almost in a staunch out with the wind to see who can survive the longest.

Sorry that this is short, haven't slept yet on this trip, I would so love to get maximum points for this sprint to NYC, somehow it would help make the Inshore race in Baltimore where we came 6th out of 7 just that little bit better.

Will Oxley reports from on board Brunel :

I do seem to make a habit of going uphill but I hoped this time might be different in a 'downhill' RTW race. Oh well.

We exited the Chesapeake at around 0130 AM local time 12.5 hours after the start and are now belting our way upwind towards NY. Forecast is for upwind and windy all the way to Ambrose light. It makes a big change to earlier in the day when we had very light winds from all round the compass rose as we sailed south down the Chesapeake.

Finally in the early evening the breeze moved into its forecast easterly position and began to build.. would have been nice if it had built to just a little less than now! We showed glimpses of nice downwind speed during the afternoon but a small tear in one of the sails cost us a few miles and our position ahead of ABN1 and 2.

We are awaiting the next sked to see how we are doing now we are in similar winds. Not much sleep yet (none) and only a little food.. that’s the trouble with these sprint legs as you push hard to stay in the game. There will be some tired little vegemites in NY. Still even in these unpleasant conditions it is good to be at sea.

Satellite wind radar image - black indicates rain