At some 350 miles from the Equator, “Telefónica” continues to notch up high speeds. According to today's 13:00 UTC position report, the Spanish boat is advancing at 17,9 knots and on board the crew are waiting for a new array of possibilities to open up at the lulls at the Equator with new options for the approach to Australia, where it look very much like this leg may be decided.
Defending the western option and on a southeasterly course, Iker Martínez said this morning: “we like the conditions we are getting right now a lot and once again, the boat is helping us to push forward. We are all putting in the extra effort to make the boat really run but really there are a few days still to go before some different tactical options are on offer again. I hope that we make a better job of the finish than we did with the start”.
Over the past 24 hours, “Telefónica” has logged some good data, even pushing past the 500 miles in 24 hours mark yesterday, the 29th of February. But the surprise came early in the morning as “Abu Dhabi” overtook “Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand”. Iker Martínez maintained perspective as he said: “At this point on the leg we are not where we'd like to be, but the first week was pretty tough on us and we dropped too many miles. Now we are sailing fast and towards our destination, but as always when you're behind, the days fly by and you'd like them to last a bit longer to make more of them. We are third in the rankings, but we've got to be realistic because although 'Abu Dhabi' and 'Camper' might be further away from the finish, they have better angles, so right now really we'd be in fifth place”.
New strategies on the table to get past the lulls at the Equator
Nothing's set in stone yet on this leg. The approach to the lulls at the Equator, this time in the Southern Hemisphere and which the boats will reach during the course of Saturday morning, may lead the fleet to regroup and as Pepe Ribes comments: “there's sure to be some compression in the Doldrums, but whoever gets out of there first will be able to push away, so... We're looking at an area to get through the lulls where in theory we may not have to stop for long. The wind will drop to ten knots but we won't be getting zero breeze”.
As the “Telefónica” skipper points out “we've got two days more of running fast and then it'll be time to put our thinking caps back on”.
Thinking about New Zealand
The difficult conditions that the fleet has already overcome, coupled with what they all have yet to overcome at the height of Australia where an area of harsh winds are forming, mean that on board the Spanish boat extreme caution in being exercised not just to avoid accidents happening, but because this is “almost a double leg, with a short stopover in New Zealand and then another start for Brazil, so we have to take extra care with everything and make sure we get there in one piece”, said the “Telefónica” skipper.
Sun, wind, heat
Following many cloudy and rainy days, the approach to the Equator is now making itself felt. The sun has made an appearance and the heat is now bordering on the unbearable. That's why Iker says: “The best thing is the temperature of the water. Sometimes out on deck it's like being in a jacuzzi, but down below the heat is beginning to be unbearable especially if you have to move anything around”.
Thu, 01 Mar 2012, 16:03:00 UTC
1 Groupama 0.00
2 Puma 76.10
3 Telefonica 90.10
4 Abu Dhabi 107.30
5 Camper 121.90
6 Sanya 170
From : Telefonica
Credit : D.Fructuoso/Telefonica/VOR
Defending the western option and on a southeasterly course, Iker Martínez said this morning: “we like the conditions we are getting right now a lot and once again, the boat is helping us to push forward. We are all putting in the extra effort to make the boat really run but really there are a few days still to go before some different tactical options are on offer again. I hope that we make a better job of the finish than we did with the start”.
Over the past 24 hours, “Telefónica” has logged some good data, even pushing past the 500 miles in 24 hours mark yesterday, the 29th of February. But the surprise came early in the morning as “Abu Dhabi” overtook “Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand”. Iker Martínez maintained perspective as he said: “At this point on the leg we are not where we'd like to be, but the first week was pretty tough on us and we dropped too many miles. Now we are sailing fast and towards our destination, but as always when you're behind, the days fly by and you'd like them to last a bit longer to make more of them. We are third in the rankings, but we've got to be realistic because although 'Abu Dhabi' and 'Camper' might be further away from the finish, they have better angles, so right now really we'd be in fifth place”.
New strategies on the table to get past the lulls at the Equator
Nothing's set in stone yet on this leg. The approach to the lulls at the Equator, this time in the Southern Hemisphere and which the boats will reach during the course of Saturday morning, may lead the fleet to regroup and as Pepe Ribes comments: “there's sure to be some compression in the Doldrums, but whoever gets out of there first will be able to push away, so... We're looking at an area to get through the lulls where in theory we may not have to stop for long. The wind will drop to ten knots but we won't be getting zero breeze”.
As the “Telefónica” skipper points out “we've got two days more of running fast and then it'll be time to put our thinking caps back on”.
Thinking about New Zealand
The difficult conditions that the fleet has already overcome, coupled with what they all have yet to overcome at the height of Australia where an area of harsh winds are forming, mean that on board the Spanish boat extreme caution in being exercised not just to avoid accidents happening, but because this is “almost a double leg, with a short stopover in New Zealand and then another start for Brazil, so we have to take extra care with everything and make sure we get there in one piece”, said the “Telefónica” skipper.
Sun, wind, heat
Following many cloudy and rainy days, the approach to the Equator is now making itself felt. The sun has made an appearance and the heat is now bordering on the unbearable. That's why Iker says: “The best thing is the temperature of the water. Sometimes out on deck it's like being in a jacuzzi, but down below the heat is beginning to be unbearable especially if you have to move anything around”.
Thu, 01 Mar 2012, 16:03:00 UTC
1 Groupama 0.00
2 Puma 76.10
3 Telefonica 90.10
4 Abu Dhabi 107.30
5 Camper 121.90
6 Sanya 170
From : Telefonica
