At 0700 UTC Groupama lost their Leg 5 stronghold to PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG. Ken Read's Mar Mostro, holding an easterly position closer to the current race waypoint, were 9.7 nautical mile ahead of Franck Cammas' Groupama 4, who had diverted ever so slightly west towards the coast of Argentina. Team Telefonica restarted at 2133 UTC without bowman Antonio "Ñeti" Cuervas-Mons, who will seek treatment for a back injury.
Groupama sailing team Media Crew Member Yann Riou said that the distance meant PUMA were “close enough to be extremely dangerous, but far enough not to be seen, so out of our control,”.
Riou reported that his team had entered the first of what was expected to be many fickle high-pressure zones that would leave the team open and exposed to PUMA’s challenges.
“There will be loads of opportunities from here to Itajaí; upwind, downwind, reaching, soft breezes and two high-pressure systems to cross,’’ Riou said.
“So we take advantage of really good conditions for sleep, once on deck focus is required. The men are marked by the last two weeks of tough sailing, but the motivation is intact.”
Telefónica resume Leg 5, minus Ñeti
Team Telefónica have resumed Leg 5 after a successful pit stop at a remote Chilean island where they repaired structural damage.
The team restarted at 2133 UTC without bowman Antonio "Ñeti" Cuervas-Mons, who will seek treatment for a back injury to ensure he is ready for the Leg 6 race to Miami.
Skipper Iker Martínez said his boat's hull was in as good shape as they had expected, with the exterior still intact, when the team arrived at Herschel Island in the Cabo de Hornos National Park at 0640 UTC after suspending racing at 0427 UTC.
A team of shore crew worked tirelessly to repair damage sustained in the treacherous Southern Ocean passage, where teams were exposed to 10 metre waves and winds gusting in excess of 60 knots at times.
The Spanish Olympic gold medallist commended his shore crew and said he was now confident Telefónica was ready to climb up the Argentinean coast to the finish at Itajaí, Brazil.
Telefónica recommenced racing at a point about 10 nautical miles south east of Cape Horn.
Martínez said he was saddened to be commencing the leg without Ñeti, who suffered a back injury that affects his sciatic nerve when a crashing wave smashed him on deck.
Ñeti said he was saddened to be saying farewell his team mid-leg, but he was confident it was the responsible decision.
“We've decided that it would be best for me to disembark here at the Cape in order to speed up the recovery process, which would definitely be a lot slower on board and I might even risk not being at 100 per cent for the next leg,’’ he said.
The suspension of racing cost the team approximately more than 200 nautical miles on the leading pack, with leg leaders Groupama sailing team about 410 nm ahead and second placed PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG 398 nm, as of the 2200 UTC position report.
Telefónica are 15 points ahead of Groupama in the overall standings and need to finish at least third to be certain of keeping hold of first place.
Sun, 01 Apr 2012, 7:01:01 UTC
1 PUMA 0.00
2 GPMA 9.30 DTL
3 TELE 378.10
4 CMPR 1530.90
5 ADOR 1809.10
- SNYA - Did not finish
From : Volvo Ocean Race
Credit : D.Fructuoso/Telefonica/VOR
Groupama sailing team Media Crew Member Yann Riou said that the distance meant PUMA were “close enough to be extremely dangerous, but far enough not to be seen, so out of our control,”.
Riou reported that his team had entered the first of what was expected to be many fickle high-pressure zones that would leave the team open and exposed to PUMA’s challenges.
“There will be loads of opportunities from here to Itajaí; upwind, downwind, reaching, soft breezes and two high-pressure systems to cross,’’ Riou said.
“So we take advantage of really good conditions for sleep, once on deck focus is required. The men are marked by the last two weeks of tough sailing, but the motivation is intact.”
Telefónica resume Leg 5, minus Ñeti
Team Telefónica have resumed Leg 5 after a successful pit stop at a remote Chilean island where they repaired structural damage.
The team restarted at 2133 UTC without bowman Antonio "Ñeti" Cuervas-Mons, who will seek treatment for a back injury to ensure he is ready for the Leg 6 race to Miami.
Skipper Iker Martínez said his boat's hull was in as good shape as they had expected, with the exterior still intact, when the team arrived at Herschel Island in the Cabo de Hornos National Park at 0640 UTC after suspending racing at 0427 UTC.
A team of shore crew worked tirelessly to repair damage sustained in the treacherous Southern Ocean passage, where teams were exposed to 10 metre waves and winds gusting in excess of 60 knots at times.
The Spanish Olympic gold medallist commended his shore crew and said he was now confident Telefónica was ready to climb up the Argentinean coast to the finish at Itajaí, Brazil.
Telefónica recommenced racing at a point about 10 nautical miles south east of Cape Horn.
Martínez said he was saddened to be commencing the leg without Ñeti, who suffered a back injury that affects his sciatic nerve when a crashing wave smashed him on deck.
Ñeti said he was saddened to be saying farewell his team mid-leg, but he was confident it was the responsible decision.
“We've decided that it would be best for me to disembark here at the Cape in order to speed up the recovery process, which would definitely be a lot slower on board and I might even risk not being at 100 per cent for the next leg,’’ he said.
The suspension of racing cost the team approximately more than 200 nautical miles on the leading pack, with leg leaders Groupama sailing team about 410 nm ahead and second placed PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG 398 nm, as of the 2200 UTC position report.
Telefónica are 15 points ahead of Groupama in the overall standings and need to finish at least third to be certain of keeping hold of first place.
Sun, 01 Apr 2012, 7:01:01 UTC
1 PUMA 0.00
2 GPMA 9.30 DTL
3 TELE 378.10
4 CMPR 1530.90
5 ADOR 1809.10
- SNYA - Did not finish
From : Volvo Ocean Race
