Pam causes further delay

Volvo Ocean Race set to leave Auckland no sooner than Tuesday

Cyclone Pam caused another postponement for the Leg 5 departure of the Volvo Ocean Race as organisers announced on Friday that the fleet would not now leave Auckland for Itajaí, Brazil, until Tuesday at the earliest (full story below).

Cyclone Pam has caused another postponement to the start of leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race. The organisers have announced that the fleet will not now leave Auckland for Itajaí, Brazil, until Tuesday at the earliest.

While the start of leg 5 was scheduled for this Sunday, yesterday the on-set of Pam had caused this to be delayed until to Monday. However if they left on Monday Pam would have been on a collision course with the fleet shortly after they were due to leave.

Race CEO Knut Frostad explained that there was no choice but to further delay start of the leg, which with is today the only 'proper' Southern Ocean leg of the race that culminates in the rounding of Cape Horn.

“This weather is very rare for the race, and for New Zealand," said Frostad. "We will not start the leg until Tuesday and will probably look at an afternoon start or in the evening. That’s our current plan."

The fleet’s skippers backed the decision to keep the fleet in port for at least an extra two days.

“It’s obvious,” said Team Brunel’s Dutch skipper, Bouwe Bekking. “All the skippers in our meeting said straight away, ‘you’ve got to delay it’. A very good decision.”

The New Zealand Herald In-Port Race is still scheduled to go ahead on Saturday at 1400 local time. Additionally, a similar length, in-port race for charity is to be held on Sunday at 1400 when the winners will be awarded NZ$10,000 by the event, which they can donate to a cause of their choice.

Frostad emphasised that with Cyclone Pam bearing down on Auckland, that event was subject to cancellation, but was an attempt to give the city’s sailing fans and sponsors an extra dose of action. A final decision will be made no later than 1800 on Saturday.

“It’s on the borderline of what we think is safe and prudent to do but we’ll continue to monitor the situation.”

The skippers, meanwhile, are relishing finally taking on the most challenging leg of the race.

“It’s the best sailing we can get – the waves, the nature. They will be moments when you hate to your guts being out there but it’s the highlight for most of the sailors in the race,” said Bekking.

Charlie Enright, skipper of Team Alvimedica added: “The race itself is a personal proving ground and this is what the Southern Ocean represents.”

Ian Walker’s Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing crew could be forgiven for feeling more trepidation than most after finding themselves one of several boats in the leg in the last race to enquire about emergency assistance.

“We got a message back saying that the nearest ship was 1,000 miles away," admitted Walker. "That kind of focuses the mind. If you run into trouble in the Southern Ocean, the chances are that help would come from one of the other boats in the race."

Walker is one of several skippers who have been forced into changes for the leg. The race’s only Emirati sailor, Adil Khalid, has been advised by race doctors that he is not fit to sail with the overall race leaders after suffering from a virus. Antiguan newcomer, Louis Sinclair, 24, will take his place.

Bekking has lost his experienced bowman Laurent Pagès for the leg after he tripped over some steps and broke two ribs on a trip home. “He wasn’t going to tell us, but he could hardly walk,” said Bekking.

Team Alvimedica is using one of their experienced pre-race mentors, Stu Bannatyne, who has six Volvo Ocean Races under his belt, while Dongfeng Race Team’s Caudrelier has called upon the services of Irishman Damian Foxall. The latter pair helped Groupama win the last edition in 2011-12.

Team SCA has recalled its talented bowman/driver Sophie Ciszek who returns after missing the last two legs following a Christmas Day operation on a back injury.

MAPFRE won the last leg from Sanya, China to Auckland, without their usual skipper Martínez who has been off the boat for the last two leg preparing in his Olympic Nacra 17 campaign.

Martínez said he is fully focused and raring to go on his return. “I was still working very hard for the boat even when I wasn’t sailing,” he said. Missing the two legs had, he said, given him a useful perspective for reviewing his crewmates’ performance from afar.

Team SCA skipper Sam Davies said her all-female crew had a particular incentive for reaching Itajaí in one piece and as quickly as possible. “Several of the crew are looking for husbands and feel that Brazil is a good opportunity for them! We’ll be going as fast as we can.”