Another fine start

James Boyd reports from the Wellington departure of the Volvo Ocean Race

The Volvo Ocean Race is having more than its fair share of good conditions for high profile race starts. Today spectators were once again treated to 10-15 knots winds and glorious summer sunshine - in Wellington/Cook Strait, the windy city, where the wind has been known to howl through between New Zealand's north and south island at more than 100mph.

As anticipated only five out of six of the boats competing on leg four took the start at 14:30 local time (01:30 GMT), movistar having been penalised for two hours accepting outside assistance to sort out her underwater issues. The Spanish team are in turn believed to be protesting ABN AMRO Two and Pirates of the Caribbean for replacing crew during a pitstop.

Prior to the off, spectators were packed around the water's edge particularly at Queens Wharf, where most of the boats have been moored since arriving on Thursday close to where the departure line was set.

As in Melbourne, so it was Paul Cayard and the Pirates of the Caribbean team on The Black Pearl, who gunned the start and hit the line on the nail, ahead and faster than any one, quickly pulling ahead. The start was a port tack reach in around 10 knots from the north with The Pearl close to the northern end of the line with the ABN AMRO Two to weather and Brasil 1, Ericsson and ABN AMRO One down to leeward.

At Pirates surged ahead with ABN AMRO One in hot pursuit, so in contast Ericsson looked decidedly off the pace once again looking not nearly as powered up under a small non-overlapping blade jib, her crew presumably anticipating more breeze. She quickly fell behind.

Pirates of the Caribbean led to the first turning mark followed by ABN AMRO One 11 seconds later and then hardened up going on the wind to the second mark at the northern end of Wellington Harbour where more spectators awaited. Heading up to this mark Pirates and ABN AMRO One chose the right side of the course, while Ericcson Racing Team, and ABN AMRO Two followed Brasil 1 inshore off to the left.

Half way up to the mark Brasil 1 suffered a problem with her headsail that ended up on the deck. It wasn't clear exactly what had occurred (presumably a halyard issue) but according to the team's PR department the swearing was in Brazilian rather than English an indication of user error rather than gear failure.

As Ericsson tried to cross them on port so Torben Grael bore down on them on starboard despite only sailing under a staysail at this stage, forcing Ericsson to tack in a tit for tat episode that may have been related to Grael's outspoken view criticising Ericsson for 'suspending racing' prior to the end of leg three.

Meanwhile on the opposite side of the course a big left hander caused Pirates and ABN AMRO One to overstand, and they flew into the top mark heavily overpressed.

The Pirates rounded the second mark 33 seconds and roughly five boat lengths ahead of ABN AMRO One and were cleaner on the hoist than the black boat, gaining them further distance as both boats sped down towards the harbour entrance in a nicely building breeze. As the boats approached Wellington Harbour's heads, so the wind had piped up to 15-20 knots and the boats were fully arced up. Passing the lighthouses at the entrance to the harbour Pirates' held a lead of three quarters of a mile over ABN AMRO One. Meanwhile astern the competition had closed between the remaining three boats, with Brasil 1's every gybe being followed by trailing Ericsson.

And in no time - less than an hour - the boats were out of the harbour and on their way to Cape Horn. Two hours later movistar was in hot pursuit.

Navigator Andrew Cape commented: “It certainly feels strange to be standing on shore and watch the rest of the fleet starting. We had to fix the boat and it was not an option for us. Two hours is not very long over that distance and we will just have to work hard to catch up.”

And this they did from the outset exiting the heads in a time around 15 minutes faster than the leaders...

To see more photos from the start - click here .