Neck and neck

Ericsson and Pirates battle for lead of Volvo Ocean Race's leg as boats negotiate Celtic Sea

Positions at 1000GMT

Pos	Yacht	Skipper	Latitude	Longitude	SMG	CMG	24hr	DTF	DTL	DTL-C
1	Pirates	Paul Cayard	50 25.13N	007 40.80W	4.1	304	155	1220	0	0
2	Ericsson	Neal McDonald	50 25.27N	007 40.33W	4	303	147	1220	0	0
3	Brasil 1	Torben Grael	50 25.93N	007 38.27W	4.1	304	153	1221	1	0
4	ABN AMRO TWO	Seb Josse	50 24.27N	007 23.77W	3.4	296	142	1229	9	-4
5	Brunel	Matt Humphreys	50 24.92N	007 17.09W	3.3	302	140	1232	12	-4
6	ABN AMRO ONE	Mike Sanderson	50 25.74N	007 08.41W	2.4	322	134	1236	16	-10

Many of us were expecting leg 8 around the top of British Isles to be one of the toughest in this Volvo Ocean Race. The route for this leg takes the boats round the north of the Orkney Isles at 59°N where they can face the full brunt of North Atlantc weather systems. Compare this with their passage through the Southern Ocean where due to the obligatory 'ice waypoints' set by the race organisation the furthest south the boats ever got was 57°S on the approach to Cape Horn.

In the event leg 8 is turning out to be tougher for very different reasons. Instead of the boats having to deal with the North Atlantic depressions they are having to deal with a Celtic Sea high pressure system, the same weather that is currently producing such glorious summery conditions in the UK. Out at sea conditions have been extremely light. Since departing Portsmouth after a glamour start Friday afternoon/early evening the Volvo Open 70s have covered a pitiful 264 miles over 42 hours or an average speed of 6.29 knots.

After leaving the Solent on Friday night the whole fleet dived south out into the Channel and all becalmed en masse all gybed back to the northwest after the 2200GMT position sched before resuming their passage down the Channel at around 0200 yesterday morning . They were then able to lay Start Point where they were becalmed once again at around 0900-1000 yesterday morning. Throughout this time the local knowledge of these waters among the Ericsson crew appears to have paid off as with the fleet tightly bunched behind them they had pulled out a slender 3 mile lead over the ABN AMRO boats, performing surprisingly well in conditions they are supposed to be slow in. Yesterday afternoon the boats were all heading right in towards the Cornish coast prior to rounding the Lizard, however here Ericsson was able to further extend seemingly able to sail deeper reaching the Cornish coast and turning at Falmouth whereas the remainder of the fleet could only lay St Austell considerably further east. By this stage Ericsson was 13 miles ahead. However over the course of the few miles out to the Lizard, the chasing pack caught up and since then the three remaining Farr boats, Ericsson, Pirates and Brasil 1 have been slowly ekking out a lead on the stickier ABN AMRO and Brunel boats.

The latest forecast shows that the high pressure system sitting over Southern Ireland for the start on Friday has now drifted idly south allowing the boats to skirt its northern edge where they will find themselves coming on the wind as the wind backs through 180degs en route to the southwest corner of Ireland. At least in light upwind conditions the boats are able to generate more apparent wind so should be able to make slightly better progress than they would sailing downwind in 5-10 knots.

Over the course of today the latest forecast shows a depression forming way up to their northwest between Iceland and Greenland from which there extends a north-south orientated trough. The good news here is that the influence of the trough will accelerate the wind between it and the high pressure system over the UK bringing with it 15-20 knot southerlies over the course of tomorrow. The wind is set to fill in from the west and it will be interesting to see once the boats clear southwest Ireland if they gybe out into the Atlantic to meet this new breeze.

Ken Read writes from on board Ericsson :

Ericsson Racing. The light air flier.

The troops who started this campaign probably didn't imagine that they were building a boat to have success when it was light and weird. Well, so far in this race we are doing just that. Our specialty: Light and weird.

Taking a step backward: The start was, well, light and weird. We didn't exactly get off the line great but by Cowes we had moved into third and by the end of the Solent had firm second with Brasil doing a very good job getting out about a mile ahead and we got out about a mile ahead of ABN 2 and Pirates.

We caught a couple nice shifts in the middle of the Solent and got right up to Pirates, and then they obviously thought they had caught something on their keel and they did a back down. So, our game plan was to get out of the Solent without a protest, without breaking anything or being smashed into by any of the huge British send off, and to be in touch with the group. Mission accomplished.

I think we were cheered and toasted by about a thousand British sailing fans. Clearly fans of our British skipper and helmsman. I started to do some quick math and decided I want to be in the beer distribution business in the area of the Solent because there was clearly mass quantities being consumed at that time of the day on a Friday evening.

So, of we went. A long beat across to try to get around Portland Bill before the tide. No chance. In fact it took almost two tides to get there. We were prepped for the anchor all night but didn’t have to use it. And in the morning the entire six boat group was all within sight. Brazil and Pirates abeam and to weather and the rest within a couple miles behind.

Then came some light air reaching, and Ericsson found a chance to strut her stuff. There seemed to be a bit more pressure offshore and we capitalized on starting to reach first and getting into some pressure first and building about a 2 mile lead. The breeze nearly shut off about mid morning but then the rich got richer and a sea breeze has filled from the southwest as predicted and we got away from the group pretty good--for now!

Although we are happy with the current positioning we are by no means disillusioned to think that we are off and running. This will be light air and very tricky for a couple more days at least. You need a bit of skill to get around these tricky parts, but you also need a ton of luck. Our pulling away this morning had a bit of both for sure but we will take it. Keeping our anchor rode on deck as a clear deterrent to anchoring in drifting conditions. The forecast is for more of the same for a long long time. But looking in the eyes of my crew mates after getting bashed around for the last 4 thousand miles I think everyone is enjoying the change of pace and dry warmer conditions. Heck, we have even seen the sun and stars. A small miracle at least for my 4k mile portion of this race.


André 'Bochecha' Fonseca writes from on board Brasil 1 :

We’re back here in the Ocean, sailing again in these boats. The two weeks we spent in Portsmouth were completely different from whatever we lived in this round the world voyage. Hans Horrevoets’ passing and movistar’s problems got into our heads. We all know that sailing has some degree of risk. And that sailing the Volvo Ocean Race makes it even riskier. But while you’re sailing, risk and fear are always in the back of our minds.

But in Portsmouth we faced fears and risks and no one can say that they haven’t analyzed the situation and thought: that could be me! We all wondered if it was worth it… I wouldn’t blame anyone for having second thoughts about sailing this leg, especially with the possibility of facing similar conditions to Leg 6. But I think it is worth it. We all love sailing and we all love to be out here. Anyway, let’s go to the race itself, because that’s probably what everyone wants to know…

We had a pretty good start in the Solent. After the wind died for the first time, we got into an excellent position and got into the new wind before everybody else. Our new genoa worked out the way we wanted and the boat gained more speed. Using this new speed we overtook Pirates and the crew celebrated. We were showing the huge spectator fleet what we could do! Let’s not forget: we were in first place! After that we used the current to gain miles on the others.

The watch system started at 8pm and everything has run smoothly ever since. I’m proud to say that we have no problems or breakdowns to report. It is tough to handle the boats in this kind of conditions, sailing upwind but with hardly any wind to sail... The deck is still dry and that helps us, but the cold weather is already starting to bother. Can you imagine how hard it would be further north?

Hope to see everyone in Rotterdam.
Abraços


Mike Sanderson writes from on board ABN AMRO One:

It was really hard to leave Portsmouth yesterday for the start of Leg 8, I guess it was the combination of the fact that the previous two Whitbread races that I had done have finished in the Solent, plus the fact that I was living in our own apartment which apart from New Zealand is as close to living 'at home' for a couple of weeks that I have been for a long time. Or maybe it was the fact that we have won the race and so these next two legs are just an opportunity to go out there and race against this world class fleet for two more legs and one in-port race.

I am sure that these all contributed, but the underlying cause for the lump in the throat was that this was the first time that we all had to say goodbye to our families since the death of Hans , and head off on another leg. It was also the first time that I had said goodbye to the new Mrs Sanderson after Emma and I got married in the stop-over. All in all a very tough time emotionally.

After leaving the dock we dropped a wreath of flowers and had a little moment of silence for Hans. Doing this in the Harbour in Portsmouth even though Hans was Dutch seemed to be a very fitting place. Nowhere in the world I would guess would there be more history of sea-going sailors then there in Portsmouth and also right there on the Portsmouth waterfront was where the meeting in the early 70s took place to decide to do the first Whitbread around the world race, so it seemed to have a lot of meaning.

We got out of the start nicely and where looking good for about the first 10 mins and then the breeze died right off and we didn't have the smoothest of transitions into the new sea breeze that was up near Cowes and found ourselves battling it out with Brunel for last place. However the first night went okay and we are in the pack. Ericsson has jumped out to a nice little lead mid morning this morning but the rest of us are all pretty tight here, we are very happy to be up with the faster Farr boats in these really light conditions. Long range though it's not looking very good for us, with never really an opportunity setting itself up where we will be able to let ABN AMRO One do her stuff. Oh well, we will just give it our all and see what we can do. Very glad though to know that we’re not relying on a good result in this one to claim the overall win, that's ours for sure and so I have to admit that sleep on the boat is just that little bit easier for me to get now than it has ever been..


Simon Fisher reports from the chart table on ABN AMRO Two :

The light weather we battled with in the Solent yesterday could have been read as an omen of what was to come. Since the sunset last night we have been battling it out with the rest of the fleet in glassy calm waters!

Even at times, when the wind speed read as high as 10 knots, down on the deck there has been no wind at all. But despite the lack of horsepower, we have been able to slip easily through the smooth seas. It has been a close race so far with everyone taking their turn at the front of the fleet as we make our way down towards Lands End. The entire fleet is in sight of one another, the majority within spitting distance.

Despite the calm seas, quite the opposite of our last leg, there is certainly no time at all to relax as it is paramount that we squeeze out every last 0.1 of knot out of the boat.

Much of the day has been spent looking through binoculars trying to find that extra puff of wind or trying to get a jump on our rivals by taking part in a little espionage! However, what have seemed like hours between sail changes have only been minutes so far in this race. With the wind constantly changing and the fleet reshuffling so rapidly you are easily tricked into think hours have passed you by.

With that in mind I am off back on deck to check what is going on, hopefully we have crept a little forward on the fleet as the sea breeze is starting to build...