# Barcelona World Race



## PCP

Following a Marty suggestion I will open a dedicated thread for this race. This race was already being followed on the thread about Solo and Duo sail races, so I will repost here the relevant posts:



PCP said:


> That's what I call bad luck....
> 
> http://www.sail-world.com/Europe/Barcelona-World-Race---Central-Lechera-Asturiana-dismasted/77632
> 
> http://riggingnews.blogspot.com/
> 
> I hope they can fix the boat fot the race





PCP said:


> 10 days for the Barcelona world race
> 
> 15 Open60's around the world, almost as many as on the last Vendee Globe.
> 
> What's new on this one is the number of Spanish leading skippers (crew of two):
> 
> 6 Spanish, 4 French, 2 British, 1 German, 1 Swiss, 1 Polish.
> 
> It's going to be a great race. Watch out guys, in 10 days
> 
> Solo and two-handed, Two similar, but not equal, ways to sail - Magazine - Barcelona World Race
> 
> Videos - Multimedia - Barcelona World Race





PCP said:


> *One day to go*!!!.... and really bad luck for Alex Thompson from Hugo Boss: Yesterday the guy had to make a surgery to treat acute appendicitis.
> 
> Short news - Barcelona World Race
> 
> They are discussing with the race organization the options.
> 
> The boats are Open 6o, the crew, to guys and the race is a non-stop circumnavigation with gates they have to pass.
> 
> Two crew, non-stop, around the world - Presentation - Barcelona World Race
> 
> This is mainly a race between Spanish and French. the Spanish are more, but the French have the better boats. There are also some other European teams and an all women crew. The boats are 15 and most are competitive recent or new racing machines.
> 
> Follow the race - Barcelona World Race


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## blt2ski

Past 1300 hrs on 12/31 here, so did Thompson get out on hugo boss? They should be off for maybe 12 hrs or so....

I can not seem to see any news at the BWR site.

Marty


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## PCP

Yes you are right, very little information about it. It seems that Hugo Boss is racing but Alex Thomson has been substituted by Wouter, a Dutch sailor.

"For Wouter Verbraak (NED) and Andy Meiklejohn (NZL), the pairing drafted together on Hugo Boss by the sudden surgery required to skipper Alex Thomson (GBR) at 48 hours before the start, it has not so much been a baptism of fire as some tortuously slow hours in the kind of conditions which do rank as the Achilles heel for the fleet's heaviest most powerful IMOCA 60."

Wouter Verbraak (NED), Hugo Boss: "I'm really relieved that the struggle of the last few days is behind us and we can now focus on the race, but it's a day of mixed feelings. Like every start you're excited to go, but it's hard to say good-bye to the family. So Alex, if you're listening get better!
"We'll do our very, very best, the boat is very well prepared, the team is very good, and I'm impressed with the level of preparation."
"This is a race about keeping the boat together. So we've focused a lot on going through systems, going through manoevures with Andy, talking about philosophy. But the good thing is I've known Andy for a long time, both personally and in racing, and we're on the same page. We've raced together in the Volvo Ocean Race and several Maxi programmes, so we go way back. It's all about trust and partnership, and we have complimentary skills."

A small majority for Président as they pass Cabo de la Nao - News - Barcelona World Race

Le Cam is first, Desjoyneaux is second, very close and the distance between the leader and the 8th is only 8nm. Hugo Boss has already lost 40nm, but they don't know the boat and are happy with the weak winds, just for learning the boat ropes

After all there are an American racing, Ryan Breymaier, racing on Neutragena.

Home

And Also a Newzealander, Andy Meiklejohn on Hugo Boss and he has a big track record:

Round the world regattas:
Volvo Ocean Race 2004-2005 (3rd) on Brasil 1
Oryx Quest 2004 (1st) on Doha 2006
Transats:
Rolex Transatlantic 2009 (1st) on Farr 80 Beau Geste
Norbank Transatlantic (2nd) on Outsider
Other long-distance racing:
Sydney Hobart 2007 (1st) on Rosebud

He has experience in a lot of boats, including Volvo's but none on Open 60's nor solo or duo racing. It is going to be interesting to see how he performs. His partner, wouter, also has not experience as a solo or duo sailor. He is a team player. It is going to be a hard time for these two, before they learn how to sail a powerful Open 60, many times solo (while the other is asleep). As I have said, they have already lost 40nm. Let us see how much time they need to perform as well as the best. Not an easy task

I cannot put to work the router to follow the race. Have you?

Regards

Paulo


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## blt2ski

Paulo,

Have not tried the router since I got up a bit ago, but I have not been able to get it to work either.

As far as HB and the 40 mile loss.....This race is what 90 days? or there abouts any how, and another 20 some odd thousand miles to go.....40 miles CAN be made up in a blink of an eye! The question would be, "How long will it take for them to gell?" and then compete on the same level as the others. Which may put them too far behind to catch up. 

I'll go look at the site here in a bit.

Happy new year to you.

Marty


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## blt2ski

Here is the link I found on the news page
http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/
It does seem to be working in the least 3 min or so.

HB appears to be 2nd to last by 105 miles. Two others are just in front and behind for the last three.

marty


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## PCP

That link was not there yesterday and it does not work, at least for me. I think it is overloaded

well, the French are leading, Le Cam is 5th now, and Dick is leading, the first Spanish (Pella) is 4th, the ladies are 9th and Hugo Boss is last. It seems that it is going to take a while for those two to learn how to race solo

Following the race without the race tracker is a bit like being blind...not funny. I hope they fix that tracker fast.

the video from the race start:

YouTube - BarcelonaWorldRace's Channel

And a teaser:

YouTube - Barcelona World Race 2010-11 News Promo

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

That's a lot better the tracking is on.

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/

That's a different visual, but that's a nice one. The weather is on the top (on, off).

Weak winds ahead and the leading pack is divided into three different tactical options, Desjoyeaux and Pella are opting for the African coast, De Pavant and Dick are going for the European side. Le Cam and Martinez are going for the Spanish coast and I don't really understand what is their play . The ones that are going on the African side will have more wind on the next 6 hours, but after that it seems that the ones on the European side will have a better angle. Difficult to say who is playing better.

I know very well those waters, crossed Gibraltar strait many times It seems they are going to cross it with a very weak head wind and that is rather unusual, I mean the weak wind.

Regards

Paulo


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## blt2ski

It took a bit for that site to load the first time I clicked on it. Now a refresh occurs in maybe 30 secs at max. I think it is a BIG program to download. 

I started clicking things, found all kinds of stuff to look at etc. No I just leave it in an open window. Now that I typed this, I think I closed, or used it to come here! GRRRRRRR>>>..

Marty

marty


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## hermitCrab

Here is a better tracker, in my opinion:
Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

I'll join the conversation in coming days. I think Hugo Boss is relatively heavy and not so good in light air, besides the problem of inexperienced open 60 skippers.
Besides the French boats, I think Mapfre and Estrella Damm may do very well.
As a sentimental matter, I would like to see Mirabaud, GAES, and Neutrogena do well. A married couple, each 55 years old, an all-women team, and the only american in the race along with the winner of the Portimao Global Ocean Race from 2009.
This is going to be fun!


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## PCP

Thanks. That one has the name of the boat and the name of the sailors and that is an improvement, but the weather information is worse. That's the usual graphic display on the French races 

As predicted the ones that had pointed to the African coast had done better on the last hours but on the next 6 the advantage is from the ones that choose the European coast. We will see who is going to win more, because after the next 6 hours the wind would be the same to everybody: Almost no wind and a very weak head wind .

Regards

Paulo


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## blt2ski

The only thing I do not like about the main race sites tracking, maybe I do not know how to fix it! is I keep the wind tracker up, but when I reload or update it, everything needs to be returned on! 

That other one is not as good from a locate standpoint IMHO, not that it counts for but what, .0000000000000001 cents or some such small amount of nothing!

marty


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## PCP

Dick/Peyron are making a great race. Not only they are leading as they managed to choose the right place to be, for the next hours.

Also great race for the German/American team on Neutragena. They are managing to bring an older boat (2004) to the leading pack (4th) and also in a good place for the next yours.

Another surprising team is the Wavre family. These two make quite a team and are on 5th place, also on an older boat (2006) and that despite having losing some time with a weird episode:

Dominque Wavre(SUI) and Michèle Paret (FRA) have reported to the Barcelona World RACE Race Direction this afternoon that their IMOCA Open 60 Mirabaud had been boarded by Moroccan customs officials.
Mirabaud was approximately 48 miles east of the entrance to the Straits of Gibraltar and 30 miles off the Moroccan coast when the boarding happened. The officials searched the boat over a period of around 35 minutes, opening many of the couple's vacuum sealed bags of food and equipment.
After receiving a radio call the customs officials left the IMOCA Open 60 Mirabaud without any further explanation.

Short news - Barcelona World Race

Le Cam passed from first (on the beginning of the race) to 8th, at more than 80nm from the First. Last night I had said that I did not understand what were his intentions with that course...well, it seems that whatever they were, they did not turn out right.

On the back of the race the guys on Hugo Boss seems to be learning fast, they are not last anymore .

YouTube - BarcelonaWorldRace's Channel

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/
Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

Hey Marty, take a look at the rooting map and zoom it.

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/

Look at the courses. Crazy stuff, most of the boats went backwards and some like Neutragena (the German/American boat) was all night sailing backwards. They just cannot have enough speed and wind to make it against the strong strait current (that in some cases can reach 6K). That should be hard on the nerves 

Four boats out of the strait, Dick is leading with the Desjoyeaux relatively close but the real night winner was the Wavre family: Not only they have cleared the strait as they are now on a brilliant 3th place. Really incredible, great stuff, with an old boat

Dire Straits, but four in the Atlantic. - News - Barcelona World Race

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

Hey Marty, take a look at the rooting map and zoom it.

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/

Look at the courses. Crazy stuff, most of the boats went backwards and some like Neutragena (the German/American boat) was all night sailing backwards. They just cannot have enough speed and wind to make it against the strong strait current (that in some cases can reach 6K). That should be hard on the nerves 

Four boats out of the strait, Dick is leading with the Desjoyeaux relatively close but the real night winner was the Wavre family: Not only have they cleared the strait as they are now on a brilliant 3th place. Really incredible, great stuff, with an old boat

Dire Straits, but four in the Atlantic. - News - Barcelona World Race

Regards

Paulo


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## blt2ski

The tide influx must be the circles if you will that I saw yesterday for some. 6 knots of current is NOT fun to sail against or with. Been there done that here in Puget Sound. My boat has a hull speed of 6.6 knots! much less the ability to go 20 something like these boat in proper winds etc.

The next 24 hrs or so going by the wind prediction, is going to be a make or break for some. Hugo is way back there. Altho, I still feel the 200 some odd miles is regain-able if you will. Being as they still have 20 some odd thousand to go. 200-250 miles if all were coming up the coast ofAfrica to the finish......that would be tougher to make up.

Then the couple getting pulled over by a customs boat?!?!? what gives there? One would think the race committee would have let ALL the countries in the region know race boats were coming thru, marked etc...... 

Marty


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## PCP

blt2ski said:


> The tide influx must be the circles if you will that I saw yesterday for some. 6 knots of current is NOT fun to sail against or with. Been there done that here in Puget Sound. ..
> Marty


Funny thing is that it seems that the ones that had lost more time had disregarded the knowledge that all local sailors have and that I thought everybody knew: The place were the current is less strong is near the shores.

Look at the courses of the ones that have made it quickly and look at what happened to the ones that tried to pass crossing the strait from one side to another, and therefore being away from the shore most of the time, like Neutrogena.

Hugo Boss is last again and has lost about 40nm in some hours to the boat that was last some hours ago (Central Lechera A.). It seems that one of the skippers is way better than the other.

Regards

Paulo


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## blt2ski

SHore side is the same here in puget sound, for less current in "MOST" places. There are some where the current hits a shore then turns one way or other, then the shore can and will be stronger than the middle. I would imagine the Med does not have too many places like that in comparison to here. I can think of one channel where the current runs opposite of what you would think it would! Local knowledge of currents can make or break you. 

Off to work now that it i getting light here on the left coast of NA.

marty


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## blt2ski

The four in the med are losing ground really quick. Must be the light wind at the cut vs farther out and east in the med, along with probably the strongest current at that point. Still do not think this is a make or bread, but 347 miles for Hugo will be tough(er) to make up.

looks like the day/night timer says hugo is in dark, the ones farther west still in daylight. I'm sure going thru that cut at night is not fun, even tho it seems to be fairly wide.


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## PCP

The racers have already divided themselves in two groups: One that has already cleared the strait and are well ahead in the Atlantic (9) and other that have just cleared the strait or are not even yet crossing it. From the last, all are Spanish with the exception of the guys from Hugo Boss, that are very last.

It seems that the choice to substitute Alex Thomson was really bad. With so many young sailors with solo sailing experience why would they chose a good sailor but without solo experience?

By the way, the girls are not on the slow group, they are sailing well and holding a 6th place, very near to the German/American boat.

About young sailor's with lot's of solo experience, Boris, the young German that won the Portimão world race is showing that a sailor used to 40class racers can do well on an Open60 (he and his American partner, Ryan, more experienced in Open60's). They are in 5th place.

Dick and Desjoineaux seem to be of other championship. They are going away.

The Warve family continue to impress me and are still holding the 3th place...with an old boat

I find out that the German/American boat and Boris in particular is followed with a lot of interest in Germany. On the "Yacht" site I have found out an interesting movie about Neutrogena , their Open 60. Don't give up (it is in German) because they show in detail the interior of their boat:

Bei Boris an Bord in Barcelona - Teil 2 - YACHT: YACHT tv

Bei Boris an Bord in Barcelona - Teil 1 - YACHT: YACHT tv

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

Regards

Paulo


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## rmeador

This is the first sailing race I've tried to follow, and I was hoping someone might clue me in on a few points. Firstly, is there a version of the tracker in English? I can understand the current one (spanish?) well enough, but I'm sure I'm missing some nuances. Secondly, how is the ranking calculated? It seems that it isn't just which boat's closest point to the course rhumb line is furthest along. Lastly, and this relates very much to my previous question, what is the unit for the numbers that indicate how far each boat is trailing the leader? nm? km? minutes? Thanks.


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## PCP

Welcome. Not in English, but i can get you one in French

Seriously, they are very graphic and intuitive. Regarding the Spanish one, the main commands are the zoom (bottom right) the meteo (top right - on -off and then you have to choose the time: 6-12-18 or 24 h) and the cursor on the bottom on the middle. On that one you can pull the red arrow back and then, on the left click on the arrow and you can see the boats retracing the courses. You can adjust the speed on the left also.

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/

On the French one, the meteo (weather) is less visible but I find the classification, on the left bar more agreeable.

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

The distances are measured in nautical miles.

The distances between the boats take into consideration the distance but also the wind forecast. For example, a boat can be nearer the final in distance but if it has ahead one or two days with weak winds can be behind another boat, that is further back (in distance) but has ahead one or two days with strong winds. I hope this confusing explanation makes some sense

Anyway, most of the fun of following the race is to try to find the better course to take advantage of the wind. The better course is almost never the shorter. Things become more interesting when there are several options.

For example, if you have a look at the forecast at 12-18-24 hours you are going to see that there are a big hole without wind around the Canary Islands. That's why they are all going west, to get stronger winds and avoid the anti-cyclone. But than there will be some that will prefer to go more west to get more wind and others that will prefer less wind and a shorter distance, or to try a passage nearer the coast of Africa where in 24 hours the wind will be more steady.

That's the game and also a way to learn how to navigate at a "decent" scale

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

Hey Marty, I have some interesting news regarding Alex Thompson. I heard on an TV Eurosport reportage about the race that he can be back on the boat and exchange places with its substitute, the moment he fells recovered.

A find a bit, or a lot strange that they haven't said anything about it on the site, but that's what the guys have said. God knows that Hugo Boss needs Alex.

That explains also why the substitute is so bad. Probably a good one would not accept that deal, I mean, beginning the race, just to be substituted when things are getting interesting.

Regards

Paulo


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## blt2ski

Paulo

I have not looked at the main site news, probably should. Then again, you probably see info sooner than me no matter how it is sliced. As I doubt too many NA folks are looking and watching this race. You probably get some info on the main news sources that I do not. 

Just got home from work, about 6pm here, HB is still way behind. maybe they are going slow on purpose? hoping to get AT onboard before trying to get too far from shore? maybe in Portugal's south shore or east just out of the straight? Speculation on my part going with your report......

On another note, I get two tv programs from UK, Main Sail, and another..... typically on CNN europe? for main sail, and BBC for the other. Have you seen these shows local? May have to look on the recorded tv shows for the one I can not remember the name. Should record automatically next time it is on. MS is doing that.

Marty


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## blt2ski

So how does one tell wind strength. Color for the main map is not working for me in comparison to what the scale says it should be. I see single arrow that is black or lighter, then blue with a single flag if you will to a double, then triple flags going to green. 

The green triple flags to me says about 6-10'ish. But I am going on boat speeds in the 5-7 range, figuring the boats in these winds should be able to do 1-1.2knots boat speed to wind. Then again, it might be .8-1 knot b to w. 

At least hugo at the moment is out of the med, doing 1knot VMG better than the rest of the fleet. so maybe with some wind, that crew will catch up, or the other fellow is back on, or the original #2 crew was steering.......oh the fun of guesing, swag'ing......

off to work with me!


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## PCP

blt2ski said:


> ...
> On another note, I get two tv programs from UK, Main Sail, and another..... typically on CNN europe? for main sail, and BBC for the other. Have you seen these shows local? May have to look on the recorded tv shows for the one I can not remember the name. Should record automatically next time it is on. MS is doing that.


Not locally even if it was the Portuguese edition but on the main European Sports channel:

Consumer Site

They are not covering the race, like they are covering the Dakar (for instance) but they report on the news and other sports section.

Consumer Site

They are following it here, but till the moment only on the sailing news but I am sure that we will have a series about it.

They are turning South and for a change they say it all on the news:

"In fact things look pretty good especially for the two leaders. They can foresee some lighter breezes as they pass the Canaries well to the west of the island group, but for them the southbound autoroute to the doldrums, the tradewinds, is well established and they can look forward to some fast drag racing south.
....
In fact having established that none of their immediate rivals were going to try the African coast routing, Dick and Peyron have protected the west quite aggressively, sailing an angle slightly lower to maximise speed and close across the track of Foncia for sure.

As they approach the front this morning the conditions will be less than pleasant 23-25 knots and building seas.

In fact for the group of five who are further back up the track to the N, it will be even more bumpy and breezy. They are closer to the low pressure system and so for the likes of President, Neutrogena and GAES they could see closer to 30 at times with a swell from the NW. Indeed for all of this group, and the leaders they may choose to ease back a little and preserve their boats a bit.
Estrella Damm, Alex Pella and Pepe Ribes, are the quickest in the fleet just now, but ironically the way the angles work, DTF favouring making ground south, they are computed to have lost miles to the boat in front, Mirabaud. But their target is maximum speed west now."

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

blt2ski said:


> ...
> 
> Just got home from work, about 6pm here, HB is still way behind. maybe they are going slow on purpose? hoping to get AT onboard before trying to get too far from shore? maybe in Portugal's south shore or east just out of the straight? Speculation on my part going with your report......


No, the first place were they think Thompson can come to Hugo Boss is Cabo Verde. Finaly I have found good information about it:

"Today Alex Thomson was ready to take the next step towards joining his boat HUGO BOSS after a week of recovery in Barcelona, following his emergency appendectomy last week. He will be travelling home to the UK today to finish his recuperation, and begin his 'race to the race' all over again.

Alex underwent surgery just 48 hours before the 90 day round the world Barcelona World Race which began on the 31st December, without Alex onboard his boat HUGO BOSS. After discussion with the race organisation (FNOB), and with the majority backing of his fellow IMOCA skippers, it was ruled that HUGO BOSS would be allowed to start the race with the team's substitute skipper, Wouter Verbraak, and Alex will be able to join the boat after he is declared medically fit to sail.

The Alex Thomson Racing Team convened in Barcelona to ensure that a plan to get Alex back on the boat was put in place. A recovery team consisting of his sports physio, nutritionist, physical trainer and sports psychologist is ready and waiting for him in the UK, tasked with getting him fit and well to begin the race. The whole process is being overseen by the team's doctor, the renowned offshore racing medic Dr Spike Briggs from Medical Support Offshore (MSOS) in the UK, who are also medical advisors to the Volvo Ocean Race.

Alex said, "I am really pleased with my progress so far, I have had an operation but I feel very positive, I have had the best medical care possible here in Barcelona, and have a team back in the UK whom I know and trust and will give me every possible chance to be back in the race again"

The rule dictates that Alex must be medically assessed within 10 days of the race start, and the date and place at which he will join his boat HUGO BOSS will then be agreed with the race organisation together with the medical team.

Stewart Hosford, the ATR Team Director who announced the team's plan of action said, "Alex now goes back to the UK where the recovery team are on standby, he is feeling stronger every day and we are very confident he will be able to join the boat. We will agree a plan with the race organisation and choose a location as soon as we can. The most obvious options will be the Cape Verdes or the Fernando de Noronha Islands off Brazil"

The race is now on for Alex to join his boat fit and healthy and ready to take on his second Barcelona World Race."

Alex Thomson Racing


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## PCP

blt2ski said:


> So how does one tell wind strength. Color for the main map is not working for me in comparison to what the scale says it should be. I see single arrow that is black or lighter, then blue with a single flag if you will to a double, then triple flags going to green.
> 
> The green triple flags to me says about 6-10'ish. But I am going on boat speeds in the 5-7 range, figuring the boats in these winds should be able to do 1-1.2knots boat speed to wind. Then again, it might be .8-1 knot b to w.
> 
> At least hugo at the moment is out of the med, doing 1knot VMG better than the rest of the fleet. so maybe with some wind, that crew will catch up, or the other fellow is back on, or the original #2 crew was steering.......oh the fun of guesing, swag'ing......
> 
> off to work with me!


Marty,

They should be stressed out on that boat I guess that with medium to strong winds the boat speed potential (that is big) will make them faster than the older boats they have ahead, even if they have shown that they didn't deserve that boat.

About the colors I have no idea. They are just wrong and the arrows right (main arrow for direction, lateral sticks for strength , one 10k, two 20K and so on, half a stick 5K).

It seems that Hermitcrab is right, this one : Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011
is better. More accurate and has weather forecast for 60 hours while the other has only for 24 hours.

Regards

Paulo


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## blt2ski

Thanks for updates. Will check out the other map link to see how much better etc. The actual language, ie spanish vs french really does not matter too much to me, since I can not read much of either! just hit buttons, see what shows or does not! oh such fun! hope I do not click into a virus or equal lololol

Now I understand the wind arrows. makes more sense now.

Here is a link to the CNN main sail show. Produced as a monthly TV magazine if you will. 
Show Pages - MainSail - CNN.com

I'll see what I can do to find the other one, may take a bit until I see another show on BBC.

Marty


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## hermitCrab

Hey guys,

IMO, Hauwell Studios produce the only really good tracker for ocean races. The one on the BWR site is actually the second best I've seen, but a _distant_ second.

Looks like the leaders may fall into a wind hole and allow the back markers to catch up a little as the new wind may fill from north to south. From the website, it seems everyone is having more fun now. Light air is the hardest, physically and mentally.

hC

edit: Look at President go! Up to 5th!


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## PCP

Yes, Le Cam is overtaking slower boats, but he should be closer to the leaders. He just messed up on the first part of the race.

The ones that are surprising me are Alex/Ribes, the first Spanish on Estrella Damm. They have a recent boat (2007) but they are closing on the first two and that is amazing knowing who they are . Le professeur (Desjoineaux) is also closing on Dick. He have a race

Dick and Desjoineaux are going out of the weak wind and are going to speed away. The one that is on the best position to follow is Alex. That's why he is 3th notwithstanding the wavre boat (4th) being closer to the leaders. Great race for the Wavre family too (on an older boat).

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/

A certain symmetry - News - Barcelona World Race

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

Impressive Desjoieaux, as usual. I hope Dick can maintain the pressure otherwise it will be like the last Vendee Globe: Desjoieaux alone at the head of the race.

He has advantage on the next hours and probably will increase his leadership. Impressive also the wavre family that has regained the 3th place, fighting with a newer and theoretical faster boat (Alex Pella and Estrela Damm).

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

"Foncia have extended slightly over the last ranking period of Saturday, now 16.9 miles ahead of Virbac-Paprec 3 which is now on the same gybe as their main rival but positioned some 66 miles further to the west. Both are now averaging more than 14 knots. 
Behind them the duels and tussles continue absolutely unabated. There is just ten miles of difference in terms of DTF between Mirabaud and Estrella Damm, and then there is nine miles between Mapfre who are still holding off Président. 
Groupe Bel have extended slightly over Neutrogena."

Short news - Barcelona World Race

Don't lose the "quotes" of the day. They are really interesting. This is the one from Ryan, the American contender on Neutrogena:

" We have been pushing the boat super super hard all night. We are 1.5 miles from Groupe Bel with the spinnaker up. We have just taken down the reaching gennaker and but up the big spinnaker and are on our way south!
We try to be pushing at 110 % all the time. We make sure we have the biggest sails we can have up all the time, always have someone on deck all the time and pushing. The way we run is we each sleep when we are tired and when you get super tired you wake the other one up, something like 3 hours each through the night. And through the day its all day on deck, one driving and one trimming a grinding, making sure the boat is at 100% all the time. It is not impossible.
And once we get to reaching conditions we can relax a little. But when you are alongside another boat next to you its impossible not to push. We are definitely happiest pushing.
....
The whole week has been good, never super difficult, the whole thing has just been awesome so far, really nice sailing and to have been where we are in the first week, in a decent position is good.
This morning I did think 1 week down, 12 to go, or 11&#8230;You are aware that it's a long way, but already we are at the Canaries then we get to the Doldrums, to the St Helena high, and the south. But its one step at a time and you end up at your destination. I just think about getting the food eaten because it's heavy!
We have a few oranges and apples left but had the last bread and cheese sandwiches one and a half days ago when the bread went mouldy, so now it is down to freeze dried and pasta occasionally."

Quotes of the day from the skippers - News - Barcelona World Race

Regards

Paulo


----------



## hermitCrab

In the Route du Rhum the new boats of Dick, Riou, and Desjoyeax did not impress, but they certainly show their speed now. Desjoyeaux/Gabart and Dick/Peyron are sailing away from the others. 

Happy to see Mirabaud matching Estrella Damm. The old married couple not too bad! 

Not as happy to see Neutrogena and Gaes gradually losing ground to Mapfre, President, and Groupe Bel.


----------



## blt2ski

I do not understand the last fours route, right thru the canary islands. I would have stayed a bit east out of the wind shadows, unless it is blowing that hard, that an inexperienced crew is trying to still learn in lessor winds. 

From looking about 8 hrs ago, looks like those four have lost another 25-50 miles. Going to be a long race for them, if the current pace keeps up. 

I am going to swag, 300-400 miles is a day of sailing, and probably 3-5 days minimum to catch up in good conditions? so if one gets close to 1000-1500 miles behind in the Atlantic early, there is not chance of a first unless those ahead have break downs.

Marty


----------



## PCP

I was wrong. On the weather forecast it did seem that Desjoyeaux had advantage. The weather report was wrong . Dick/Peyron is leading again. In those quotes (last post) he talked about a Drag race. Certainly it is for him and Desjoineaux. What a race. Those two will be very hard to catch, and they are changing positions often. Great racing.

Smart move for Neutrogena and his German/American team. They passed from 8th to 6th and it seems to me they are on the right spot to continue overtaking .

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/

Alex (3th), with a faster boat seems to have find a way to overtake the Wavre family (4th). They have been way better tactically, but as Alex has the faster boat, he just choose to follow their course. It is working but it is not the nicest way to overtake...and now that he has overtake he has to choose his own route. That has been also an entertaining duel and I believe it is not finished yet.

It seems that the Americans are starting to discover the race....but what kind of presenter is that? Duh!!!

YouTube - 65: Barcelona World Race, Alpha Global Expedition, Slogs

And here it will have a full coverage :

YouTube - DesTopNews 1-2011 English

Regards

Paulo


----------



## rmeador

I've got another stupid question about the tracker. When you turn on the wind view and set it to 18 or 24 hours, some grey lines show up that stick out of the boats at weird angles... what are these indicating?


----------



## PCP

rmeador said:


> I've got another stupid question about the tracker. When you turn on the wind view and set it to 18 or 24 hours, some grey lines show up that stick out of the boats at weird angles... what are these indicating?


Well, I have no idea Perhaps Hermitcrab that seems to be the one that knows more about that knows what that means.

Do you have already tried to put the arrow on the bottom ruler back to see the boats retracing the race?

Regards

Paulo


----------



## hermitCrab

I had not seen that, but it looks like a glitch in the BWR tracker. No meaning.

I think Neutrogena has helped themselves by gybing south earlier than the others around them. The southing has helped their placement, and I think they will have a better wind angle in the trades. 

Probably everyone will pass the doldrums and equator between 26-30w.

Fantastic racing!


----------



## PCP

Dick has won some miles to Desjoieaux. That's good because I think Desjoieaux will find a way to come back to the leadership .

Mapfre and Neutrogena are closing on the two boats ahead (3th and 4th) and are going at about the same speed as the leaders, Dick/Peyron that are making a fantastic race. Alex is slowly going away from the Wavre family but as I have said, it is hunted by the pack that follows (and that is closer).

"Virbac Paprec 3 still powers south-west at over 19 knots, some 41 miles ahead of nearest rival Foncia. Then a 130-mile jump back to third placed Estrella Damm, who is within 20 miles of Mirabaud.

The Spanish Volvo 70 sailors of Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez on Mapfre remain the fastest boat on the course bar Virbac Paprec, topping 18 knot average speeds over the past hour. The most westerly of the main group, they lie in fifth, ahead of the most easterly Neutrogena, in 6th."

I am curious to see if Neutrogena is going to pass between the Cabo Verde Islands and if they can get some more wind there.

Next days will be important. On the doldrums you can win or lose a lot of miles. It is going to be interesting to see different the moves to pass there without losing too much time.

**** :

Alex Thomson Racing Team has communicated today that the British skipper has delayed joining Hugo Boss as planned.
This difficult decision was taken by the British skipper because his baby son Oscar, who was born three days ago, on 7th January, has today been diagnosed with a heart condition called coarctation of the aorta.

Further tests will be carried out this week.
Both parents will remain with their young son in Southampton General Hospital.

One track minds: Speed. - News - Barcelona World Race

Some interesting quotes:

Bruno Garcia (ESP): Président:
" We have been driving very hard in these conditions, with 25-30 knots at times. We have a full main and big gennaker which sets like a spinnaker. The speed doesn't really drop below 20 knots and has peaked so far with 26 on the GPS. The pilot can't really deal with these conditions because you lose speed here and there. To take the helm you need to be in full foul weather gear.
....
We are a bit tired after the last two days because it is a bit intense. The trade winds might be a great freeway to go cruising in, but it's pretty tough racing, you can't get much rest.
In principle our idea is to leave the Cape Verde islands to port.
Mapfre is going like a motorbike, very fast!"

Loïck Peyron (FRA), Virbac-Paprec 3:
"All goes well on board even if we are shaken and bounced about a lot. It makes it difficult to move around. Outside it is pretty bracing, shall we say! For a monohull to get from the Canaries to the Cape Verdes in hours is ultra quick.
I spent seven hours at the helm yesterday which was a bit much, but Jean-Pierre was occupied. The helm' s position is well protected, even from the wind and so feeling.
It is a little more difficult at night.
The cockpit is very wet the whole time, and often fills with tons of water because often we are crossing the waves. And we catch up with and plough into the back of smaller waves. The bow just crashes through without stopping, There are tens of centimeters of water which wash back on the deck.
And contrary to what people think, the seas are short and choppy so not so good for surfing.
There is no thoughts about motivation on board. We are just staying on top of things which are not easy. We hold an interesting pace and should hold it until the wind drops.
We don't really have time to think about anything other than the boat, because it is going so quick.
But we will get time to take care of the boat, and everything as we approach the Doldrums."

Iker Martinez (ESP), Mapfre: "The truth: *This is a lot of fun, really great, and the reason we all sail around the world, and whoever says otherwise is lying. *Going upwind isn't fun. Now we have to think about the boats ahead: 'Estrella Damm' and 'Mirabaud' who are under 100 miles away, and little by little we are moving in. Although they are doing really well, especially Pepe and Alex, who are sailing a great race and it's not going to be easy to catch them up, but we will try. We'll see!
In terms of everything else, things are all the same onboard. A couple of nights ago we were rushing around a bit with some squalls that pushed us from side to side almost all night, but that seems to have paid off"

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

Regards

Paulo


----------



## hermitCrab

President (leCam, Garcia) dismasted. All safe. Motoring to harbor.


----------



## blt2ski

hermitCrab said:


> President (leCam, Garcia) dismasted. All safe. Motoring to harbor.


THis is what one would call major bummer. BUT, at least the occupants are alive and in one piece! This took a minute or two info to verify.....

This is after a number of boat reported 400+ mile days, what close to 20 knots all day and night! wouldn't that be fun.

Marty


----------



## hermitCrab

It will be interesting to see the attrition rate in this race.
In the 2008/9 Vendee Globe only 11 of 30 starters finished, and one of those finished without a keel bulb. With 2 onboard instead of singlehanded, I would think the boats will be pushed even harder in this race.

On another subject, I've noticed that since reaching the tradewinds, the 2006-7 Farr designs have been going faster than the 2006-7 Owen Clarkes.
Interesting...


----------



## PCP

hermitCrab said:


> It will be interesting to see the attrition rate in this race.
> In the 2008/9 Vendee Globe only 11 of 30 starters finished, and one of those finished without a keel bulb. With 2 onboard instead of singlehanded, I would think the boats will be pushed even harder in this race.
> 
> ...:


They are all pushing hard, with several boats doing more than 400nm in 24 hours

Yes, you are right and the results of pushing too hard are starting to show:

President (Le Cam) has lost its mast. It was a race to forget :

"The team are safe and sound
Jean Le Cam reported to Race Direction of the Barcelona World Race at 1925hrs (UTC) this Monday evening that the IMOCA Open 60 President has lost its mast.
Jean Le Cam (FRA) and Spanish co-skipper Bruno Garcia are on board and both safe and healthy.

The incident occurred when the boat was positioned at around 18º 03 ' NR /26 º 14 ' W and was sailing at speeds of between 16 and 20 knots.

The boat is reported to have hit a wave and the mast broke.

Michel Olivier, the team's technical manager and Race Direction are in permanent contact with the boat and have confirmed that neither skipper required assistance.

Both are on board and President is currently under engine to cover the 83 miles which separated them from San Antao, the most northerly island of the Cape Verde group.

The weather conditions currently are a North Easterly blowing at around 19 knots with a short sea."

Sunday Desjoineaux had hit hard a submersed object. That is the reason that lead him to slow his boat (letting Dick go away). The front crash box was destroyed. They are heading to Brazil for repairs:

Jean Paul Roux, director of Michel Desjoyeaux's project management company Mer Agitée received a call Sunday 9th January from the Foncia skipper to say that they had suffered damage to the crash box on the bow of their IMOCA Open 60. The crash box is broken off, the victim of a shock with a floating object.
There is no immediate danger to the crew or the boat and the duo Desjoyeaux and co-skipper François Gabart have made the decision with their team to head for Recife on the Brasilian east coast.

The technical team are already working to have a replacement section manufactured ready to change when the boat arrives in Recife, projected to be around Friday 14th January. This morning Foncia was 1100 miles from Recife and making 16.3 knots on the 0400hrs UTC ranking, lying in second place.

It will be interesting to see Desjoineaux on a hunt race. If it was with someone else I would say that he was way for the first places. With Desjoineaux you never know

Hermitcrab, his bad results on the Route du Rhum happened just by one bad decision on routing. Only one but that was a fatal one.

But the race is on, Iker Matinez on Mapfre is the fastest and is winning miles to the leader.

Regards

Paulo


----------



## blt2ski

SO it is legal per say to put in at a place as mentioned, ie Brazil for a repair, then continue? So conceivably, Le Cam could put into port, put on a new mast if available, and be back on the course in say 48-72 hrs?!?!?!? Not that a mast is available to my knowledge, Then again, he is motoring into port, so that alone may throw race. 

It will be interesting to see what the attrition rate will be.

Marty


----------



## PCP

blt2ski said:


> SO it is legal per say to put in at a place as mentioned, ie Brazil for a repair, then continue? So conceivably, Le Cam could put into port, put on a new mast if available, and be back on the course in say 48-72 hrs?!?!?!? Not that a mast is available to my knowledge, Then again, he is motoring into port, so that alone may throw race.
> 
> It will be interesting to see what the attrition rate will be.
> 
> Marty


On the Vendee Globe they cannot have outside assistance and they cannot made to port. On this one they can (they just lose time).

Yes Le Cam could have a new mast but it would take a long time to get one there.

For Desjoineaux it seems that it will be a pit stop :

Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA), Foncia:
"The bow of Foncia is damaged. The lower part of the bow there is a foam section better known as the crash box. It is laminated to the hull covered with several layers of carbon.
Sunday while on the bow we noticed that there was no carbon on the foam anymore. Foam is green and the carbon is black. The difference is obvious.
There is not much that we can do about it from here. The foam section is still whole from what we can see, it is our bumper. It is impossible to complete the rest of the course like this, both in terms of safety and performance.
The crash box is there just in case of hitting an unidentified floating object, and behind it is the proper structural bow, but that is not good at sustained high speeds. Our choice is to replace this 'fuse'.
We discovered this just before the Cape Verde islands, but by then it was too late to react. We can take the risk to push on to the Brazilian coast and waste less time But we have been at around 17 knots averages for three days. Considering the volume of water which is pushed under the bow in these we did not fancy sticking our heads down any closer!
And so we can't really see how clean it is. We will have to see if we need to remove skin from the foam before we re-laminate. We can't go up the front of the boat every two minutes to check. Even if the foam washes of it is not too serious, but it is not very hydrodynamic. The shore team look at where we can go. Recife is a port, but it is a little in the south, and we need to see what facilities there are for lifting, because we need to lift the bow clear of the water.

What we know is that there should be no hidden surprises yet, and the repair of the crash box is not a very technical repair and it is well practiced.
The sea was rolling a bit last night and we don't push as much, we filled the back ballast tank not only for the performance but also to preserve the bow.
The wind dropped a bit since yesterday. There is no more than 20 knots on average and the wind is heading a little so we are under spinnaker if we want to go downwind

Even if it is François Gabart's first equator I am not superstitious, so I will not do anything. For me I think it will be my tenth. For the moment the Doldrums seems like they will let us through relatively easily. Which is good news. We are in a hurry to get into Recife.

Here we push the boats harder than when solo.
We have a substantial energy saving, running the engine for one hour every 48 hours. And the boat is better sailed, the mean speeds are definitely higher. But it is difficult to compare them. Solo I would not be at this pace, surely one or two knots less, which would not be bad. As soon as you go faster than 15 knots, the boat is not very comfortable. But that's the price you pay. Things are in the right proportion."

Something wrong with Vibrac Paprec (leading boat)? The hunting party is winning miles, including Desjoieaux, broken boat or not


----------



## hermitCrab

As I understand it, boats can put into port with no penalty until Cape Leeuwin. After passing under Leeuwin, any boat making a pit stop must remain at the stop for 48hrs. I'm not certain, but I think that if a boat uses it's engine, it will be required to return to the spot where the gears were engaged to re-start.

In the recent Vendee Globe, Mich Desj returned for repair and re-started 40 hours after the start. He caught the lead pack just past Cape Agulhas, and took the lead at Cape Leeuwin. Roland Jourdain kept pace with him across the southern ocean until after Cape Horn, but then Mich Desj pulled away up the atlantic. If Foncia can make a quick stop at Recife, they are not out of it by any means.

By the way, it's interesting that Mich Desj's Vendee Globe winner is now called Mapfre, and has been making the fastest miles in the fleet. Also, Jourdain's boat from the Vendee is now Neutrogena.

While the old married couple (Mirabaud) have been keeping close but very gradually dropping back, it looks to me like the girl team (Gaes) are simply too slow.


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## PCP

The front pack is a lot closer. Neutrogena is holding its position while the Lady's boat that was some days back near Neutrogena is way back.

It seems that Alex (Estrella Dam) is joining the leaders, in a day or two, if he can maintain that pace.

The slow down for the leading duo in the Doldrums has allowed the chasing pack to claw back some morale boosting miles. Of course they can see as well as the duos on Virbac-Paprec 3 and Foncia that they are due for a similar experience as the winds drop for them, and that the top two IMOCA Open 60's will emerge into stronger easterly breeze in a few hours

" Foncia, Michel Desjoyeaux and François Gabart have cut to less than 40 miles their deficit to their French rivals Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron on Virbac-Paprec 3. Virbac-Paprec had 240 miles to the equator this morning.
....
Foncia are planning their technical stop at Recife and they have some 800 miles to cover to get there. ..

In third and fourth places the two Spanish boats Estrella Damm and Mapfre have a 51 miles delta after having had 40 between them that they had all of yesterday. The two IMOCA Open 60's remain very evenly matched.

Kito de Pavant and Sébastien Audigane have a favourable position some 50 miles further to the west than the line taken by Mirabaud, ahead of them in sixth, and Neutrogena in seventh and that is giving them more breeze to ensure that Groupe Bel is the quickest of the fleet this morning.

....
http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/


----------



## PCP

Well, well, interesting news.










The leader, Vibac-Paprec is also going to have a pit stop in Brasil It would be like a F1 pit stop with everybody trying to work as fast as possible. It would be nice to have both boats side by side .

Great, now the slower boats will have an opportunity to sail away and I believe the leaders will have an hard time to catch Alex Pella on Estrella Damm, but I believe that they will be capable of doing that.

This is has been an interesting race, but it is going to be a lot more interesting

On Dick's boat they can not trim the mainsail because the traveler is lose. That explains why everybody was winning time over them

Barcelona World Race leaders Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron are preparing to make a technical stop in Brasil to make a repair to their main sheet track on Virbac-Paprec 3. 
A length of around 2.50 metres of the track is reported to have been lifted away from the deck.
Virbac-Paprec 3 is sailing presently off the coast of Brasil in SE'ly winds of 15 knots under full main and Solent headsail.

The duo lead the race by approximately 50 miles from Foncia, Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) and Francois Gabart (FRA), who are also preparing for a stop in or near Récife, arriving between Friday night and Saturday.

Dick and co-skipper Loïck Peyron (FRA) have made the decision to head for Récife, Brasil which is 434 miles to their SW, to repair this vital control. The duo are expecting to arrive in the Brasilian port in around 48 hours (Saturday) where their technical team will be waiting for them.

Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA), winner of the first edition of the Barcelona World Race contacted by phone said:

"I was outside when it happened. Loïck was sleeping. The mainsail track came away for 2.5 m. We can't really trim the mainsail. It happened in the conditions which were bizarrely benign. There was a little choppy, 14-15 knots, nothing exceptional. It was an otherwise nondescript afternoon. There was not even great pressure on the track, we were under full mainsail and Solent. I don't really know exactly what happened. We will head for Récife to repair it. It is better to have it happen, than in the South!"

Regards

Paulo


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## hermitCrab

Even with excellent pit stops, which are not guaranteed in Brazil, they will probably not do better than to be behind Gaes and Renault. Still, it is a long race and plenty of time for these veterans to regain the lead.


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## blt2ski

Have not looked in the last two days. Hugo has made up about 300 miles, maybe 200 or in between. Along with graphics are a bit different, they now show the sail colors on the boats. Shows there is still a lot of time and racing to do yet!

marty


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## hermitCrab

Wow! foncia has already finished their pitstop and may re-join in 2nd or 3rd place. What a shore team! It looks like Virbac/Paprec will also re-join within a few hours - maybe in 4th place. Much better than I originally expected. These quick and efficient stops are money talking. I'll bet I couldn't get the repair parts past Customs in less than a week.


----------



## PCP

hermitCrab said:


> Wow! foncia has already finished their pitstop and may re-join in 2nd or 3rd place. What a shore team! It looks like Virbac/Paprec will also re-join within a few hours - maybe in 4th place. ...


Hey Crab where do you get that?

They say Foncia lost 18 yours. He is reentering the race in 5th, at 160nm from the leader but is still losing a lot of time, cause Alex Pella has plenty wind on the right place and he has weak head winds. After leaving Brazil Desjoineaux has already lost for Alex more 40nm and he is going to lose more.

But 250 nm will not be impossible to recover. He was plenty time.


----------



## hermitCrab

PCP said:


> Hey Crab where do you get that?
> 
> They say Foncia lost 18 yours. He is reentering the race in 5th, at 160nm from the leader but is still losing a lot of time, cause Alex Pella has plenty wind on the right place and he has weak head winds. After leaving Brazil Desjoineaux has already lost for Alex more 40nm and he is going to lose more.
> 
> But 250 nm will not be impossible to recover. He was plenty time.


The way they measure is wrong. Everyone will have to stay west of the St Helena high, so Foncia will be 2nd or 3rd on the _real_ racecourse.


----------



## PCP

hermitCrab said:


> The way they measure is wrong. Everyone will have to stay west of the St Helena high, so Foncia will be 2nd or 3rd on the _real_ racecourse.


Huumm! I don't understand what you mean. They are all west of St.Helena.

25, 000 miles across the oceans - Presentation - Barcelona World Race

As I have predicted Desjoineaux is still losing miles to Alex (the leader). More 12 since the last post and I believe he is going to lose more because Alex has a better wind.

The 2th went in furtive mode. For the ones that don't know what it means, it is just that, he went invisible, for us and for the racers. For 24 hours he can make his strategic play without anybody knowing his moves.

Probably he is thinking in a change of course. We will see.

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

Regards

Paulo


----------



## blt2ski

How often can these guys for furtive? I remember the figaro race you go only do this one time. This seems really early to do a furtive, then again........

I'm wondering if the distances, are based on say how far the boats are from a given rhumb line point. In this instance, looks like just to the east of the falklans, the rhumb line changes per say to a bit more west. So the program takes distance to this point, then adds or subtracts vs other boats. Hence why the ones closest to the current rhumb line are listed ahead of some that are to the side more. Just a swag on my part. So the one losing ground is going say farther west of the line at the moment.....

Marty


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## hermitCrab

Furtiv mode can be used once per ocean, i.e. once between Canaries and Good Hope, once between Good Hope and Cook Straight, once between Cook Straight and Cape Horn, and once between Cape Horn and Canaries. No Furtiv allowed north of the Canaries or inside Cook Straight. Furtive lasts for 6 scheds, or about 36hrs.

I think the rhumbline you are looking at (Marty) is the return rhumbline up the atlantic from cape horn. The rhumbline they use for the southern journey is very far to the east and runs directly through the St. Helena high of dead winds (usually ). Since the position reports are based on a line no one will probably sail, I think the reports and distances are very unrealistic. If the weather forecast is even close to correct, everyone will have to go to at least 35w over the next few days, or else risk being becalmed. Therefore, my opinion is to rank by south position until at least 25-30s when they may be able to start turning the corner easterly.

My ranking:
Estrella Damm
Mapfre (probably...furtiv)
Foncia
Groupe Bel, Virbac-Paprec
Mirabaud
etc.


----------



## PCP

I think we are going to have two different strategies:

The two Spanish leading boats are going to turn sooner and the two French will go more to the South before turning to the Cabo da Boa Esperança.

Alex Pella maybe has the right wind to do that, I doubt Martinez will be able to do that without being caught with head winds.

Anyway it is going to be interesting


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## blt2ski

HC, thanks for the info. Yeah, you are correct, I thought they were going east to west, so the line I am looking is the return coming north from CH. I wonder if the distances are still not computed the way I am guessing. Either way, many days and miles ahead to change positions, make up some ground, fool some with the furtive mode......

Marty


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## PCP

blt2ski said:


> HC, thanks for the info. Yeah, you are correct, I thought they were going east to west, so the line I am looking is the return coming north from CH. I wonder if the distances are still not computed the way I am guessing. Either way, many days and miles ahead to change positions, make up some ground, fool some with the furtive mode......
> 
> Marty


For measuring the distances they have in consideration the wind forecast for each racer in each position. They put it as distance because it is easy to read, but it would be more correct to put distances in time. You can be nearer to a given boat but if you have a bad wind or no wind ahead and another boat, more distant is on a position that permits him to reach the first at full speed, than they give the second boat nearer to the first, even if it is a lot more far away.

Regards

Paulo


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## blt2ski

Got it, the program uses a puter generated forecast over say the next 24-36 hrs to predict best as it can, who is really in the lead etc. This must be why when you do the 24-36 hr wind projections, where the computer is predicting the boat to be, via the gray(?) lines wondered about earlier in the thread. Even tho when discussed, Hugo I believe had a line projecting it on land, another going back wards, as it was at the time due to currents, lack of wind etc. This is sorta kinda beginning to make sense from a rookie watching these live broadcasts if you will. 

I hope some of that makes sense, as I am typing while thinking out loud etc

Off to the boat to install some GFI's for an insurance inspection I need to do I the next 30-45 days or so.

marty


----------



## hermitCrab

PCP said:


> I think we are going to have two different strategies:
> 
> The two Spanish leading boats are going to turn sooner and the two French will go more to the South before turning to the Cabo da Boa Esperança.
> 
> Alex Pella maybe has the right wind to do that, I doubt Martinez will be able to do that without being caught with head winds.
> 
> Anyway it is going to be interesting


I look at the forecast on the tracker, which goes out 72hrs, and also at passageweather.com which goes out 7 days, and I don't see a path for the leading 8 boats to turn east early without heavy risk of being becalmed for as much as a couple of days. Of course, it's only a forecast, and anything can happen, but I think if any of the leaders takes an easterly route, they will lose.

It looks possible that things will be different for the last boats. They may be able to cut the corner late this week and improve their positions. I especially watch what Hugo Boss does, since the replacement co-skipper, Wouter Verbraak is one of the top navigator/weather routers in the world.


----------



## PCP

hermitCrab said:


> I look at the forecast on the tracker, which goes out 72hrs, and also at passageweather.com which goes out 7 days, and I don't see a path for the leading 8 boats to turn east early without heavy risk of being becalmed for as much as a couple of days. Of course, it's only a forecast, and anything can happen, but I think if any of the leaders takes an easterly route, they will lose.
> 
> It looks possible that things will be different for the last boats. They may be able to cut the corner late this week and improve their positions. I especially watch what Hugo Boss does, since the replacement co-skipper, Wouter Verbraak is one of the top navigator/weather routers in the world.


It seems to me that you can pass west or East of the anti-cyclone.

I think the French are going East, the Spanish west.

The guys from Course au large magazine (Ocean Racing) think the same way, today they have said:

Et en se « baladant » d'un côté à l'autre de l'océan, en se découpant en plusieurs morceaux, en laissant passer un éphémère front orageux en diagonale entre le Sud du Brésil et le cap de Bonne-Espérance, les hautes pressions créent des zones de transition assez entendues qui ont tendance à se mettre sur la route de la Barcelona World Race ! La trajectoire pour arriver jusqu'aux Quarantièmes Rugissants est encore assez obscure et le timing pour éviter ces bulles sans vent (ou à tout le moins générant des vents instables et des pluies tropicales) n'est pas le même selon la position actuelle des concurrents. Les uns peuvent espérer « passer entre les gouttes » par l'Ouest (MAPFRE, Foncia, Vribac-Paprec 3) car ils n'ont déjà plus trop la possibilité de gagner dans le Sud-Est sans ralentir très sensiblement (au près dans une mer chaotique). Le leader (Estrella Damm) peut encore imaginer glisser entre l'anticyclone et le front orageux tout en gardant l'opportunité de changer de cap d'ici le début de semaine s'il voit que la situation météo évolue différemment.

I am not sure about the best pass, but to the west is a lot shorter. It is possible that shorter distance compensates the lesser speed.

Regards

Paulo


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## Yado

Is it possible to read the "race tracker" in English? The home page is in English but not the tracker page. I can follow it ok but the nuance is lost to me. 
Thanks


----------



## PCP

Welcome to the thread

No, I have tried but could not find it in Englhish.

You have the one in Spanish and this one in French:

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

The French one almost has no words, it's all graphic.

There are some exlpanaitions about their use on this thread but if you have some doubt just tell me about it and I will try to make it clear to you.

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

How!!! Look at the weather for the next 24 hours. It is a mess for everybody, I mean the leading pack 

I think Alex and Estrella Damm are going to make it. Sure they will have very weak wind in 12 hours, but after passing that hole (about 150nm) they will have fair wind to the Cape.

The route to Desjoineaux is not also an easy one. Maybe faster but there is also a weak wind zone for him.

This is like a chess game Very difficult and very interesting .


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## Yado

*Weather Watch*

Thanks Paulo,
I regularly look at boat positions and then check passageweather.com, but this will be the first race I'll follow. 
The weather page on the barcelona world race site has small arrows which are hard to make out.
Passage weather is much more clear and I can easily understand it.
If you have time I would find it really helpful if you would tell me which weather position you're looking at on passageweather.
For instance, say "3 hours out 50s/50w wind will be 30 from the west" good beam reach.......or something more simple.
Once I catch on with what weather you're looking at I'll be able to follow your enthusiasm.
I caught on with the anticyclone but want to follow around the Horn and on.
Thanks for your help and my wife will translate the Spanish that can't understand. She can do the French too......my lucky day!
Michael


----------



## hermitCrab

PCP said:


> It seems to me that you can pass west or East of the anti-cyclone.
> 
> I think the French are going East, the Spanish west.
> 
> I am not sure about the best pass, but to the west is a lot shorter. It is possible that shorter distance compensates the lesser speed.
> 
> Regards
> 
> Paulo


Paulo, you think some may sail upwind _east_ of the anti-cyclone? Directly towards Good Hope from Cabo Frio?

I'm thinking that a few may try to pick their way through the wind holes closer to the _west_ side of it, and the french to stay very far west in the stronger wind until they can turn eastward. Time will tell which is best, but my bet is on the french strategy for now. I think Estrella Damm and Groupe Bel and Mirabaud will fall into a no-wind hole soon. Hugo Boss and those behind them may get lucky later in the week and be able to cut the corner and gain a lot on the leaders.

Very interesting puzzle, and lots of fun!


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## Yado

Paulo,
I have it figured out after spending some time on http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/

On the left side is a tab labeled "datos geograficos". There is a ruler, touch on that and you can measure the distance. 
Also on the site they show normal wind barbs which are easier to follow than the little colored triangles on the French site.
Now I can see what you were referring to when your wrote ".....Look at the weather for the next 24 hours......they will have very weak wind in 12 hours, but after passing that hole (about 150nm) they will have fair wind to the Cape."
To check the future weather patterns I checked the "meteo" tab on the top right. It shows the weather for the near future.
I like the anticyclone placement on the map because that weather pattern wasn't clear to me on passageweather.....but I'll continue to try to make sense of it....good learning and a good race.


----------



## PCP

hermitCrab said:


> Paulo, you think some may sail upwind _east_ of the anti-cyclone? Directly towards Good Hope from Cabo Frio?
> 
> I'm thinking that a few may try to pick their way through the wind holes closer to the _west_ side of it, and the french to stay very far west in the stronger wind until they can turn eastward. Time will tell which is best, but my bet is on the french strategy for now. I think Estrella Damm and Groupe Bel and Mirabaud will fall into a no-wind hole soon. Hugo Boss and those behind them may get lucky later in the week and be able to cut the corner and gain a lot on the leaders.
> 
> Very interesting puzzle, and lots of fun!


The wind pattern is not very clear and that makes this passage very interesting. I think the French would have to go much to South to get the freeway . If they cut East sooner they will be blocked by a no wind area.

But I am just learning and this is a very difficult spot to negociate

Regards

Paulo


----------



## PCP

Yado said:


> Paulo,
> I have it figured out after spending some time on http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/
> 
> On the left side is a tab labeled "datos geograficos". There is a ruler, touch on that and you can measure the distance.
> Also on the site they show normal wind barbs which are easier to follow than the little colored triangles on the French site.
> Now I can see what you were referring to when your wrote ".....Look at the weather for the next 24 hours......they will have very weak wind in 12 hours, but after passing that hole (about 150nm) they will have fair wind to the Cape."
> To check the future weather patterns I checked the "meteo" tab on the top right. It shows the weather for the near future.
> I like the anticyclone placement on the map because that weather pattern wasn't clear to me on passageweather.....but I'll continue to try to make sense of it....good learning and a good race.


Yes, I find it also easier to try to find a weather pattern on the Spanish site.

What I mean is that if Alex maintains its present course for about 10 hours and than turn Southeast (in very light winds) and can make about 5k speed for about 10 hours, he is out of the hole and has enough wind to pass at large of Boa Esperança Cap with decent speed (he has to head south again before heading East or Southeast again). Not as fast as the French, probably a 2 to 4K difference, but it is a much shorter pass. I guess that the tricky part will be on the next 24 hours

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

Yado said:


> ...
> On the left side is a tab labeled "datos geograficos". There is a ruler, touch on that and you can measure the distance.
> ...


Hey, that's a nice feature . Thanks!

I was just using the scale that is behind.


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## Yado

*Barcelona World Race Watching*

For those of us that followed Jessica Watson around the world, I think the Barcelona World Race has the potential to be also captivating.

The excellent writing and race coverage on the "Main News" link is thorough and covers the race positions, weather, potential course options, etc.. I'm finding it a fun challenge just trying figure out both what's going on in the race and how the "pros" handle the weather and the competition.

The web page is user friendly as Paulo and I have discussed, so if you have time I think this is one to watch.

HT to Paulo.


----------



## PCP

A bit out of the topic, but the leader, Alex Pella had just passed near Ilha da Trindade. I like faraway almost deserted beautiful places and this is one of them

A dangerous one also with several shipwrecks, the most famous the one of the HMS Rattlesnake, a 198-ton, 12-gun cutter-rigged sloop, who was wrecked on Trindade in 1781.

Maybe someday I will sail there


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## blt2ski

Looks interesting, along with very volcanic in nature. Recently to some degree too. Then again, I have a live volcano in my back yard too.....Mt St Helens is a little different look than this area. Not going to like if and when Rainer blows..........

Off to do some ear to ear arcs in some solid water, or at least I hope it is solid, been rather wet around here, flooding etc...........

Marty


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## Yado

*Horse Latitudes*

The southern subtropical high. The light winds the fleet is sailing into reminded me that yes, they have "horse latitudes" in the southern Atlantic. Just never really thought about it.
Looks like Fancia has the better heading at the moment......this is going to be an exciting race to see who lucks out with the winds to Cape Horn. And, it looks like there is a lot of luck involved sailing in those confused winds.
Thanks for posting the pictures of Ilha da Trindade.


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## PCP

this is a great strategic race and this pretty much resumes the situation:

"The South Atlantic is serving up another speed hump to the Barcelona World RACE fleet, with current leader Estrella Damm covering just over 23 miles since last night’s 2000hrs position report.....

Trapped in a light winds bubble Alex Pella and Pepe Ribes (ESP) have spent a night averaging under 2 knots of boat speed and snaking about the sea in an attempt to keep moving.

The grinding progress of last night looks set to continue for the leaders of the Barcelona World RACE, Estrella Damm, for the rest of today, with the various weather routing options indicating that Alex Pella and Pepe Ribes may only escape the light winds zone by late evening tonight.


"As the Spanish leaders’ progress drops, to just 8 miles covered since this morning’s 0500hrs update, so too the rest of the pack continues to compress, with less than 500 miles now covering first to last ‘distance to leader’.

The reality is somewhat different however, with rather more than 500 miles covering the pack from east to west. The results may not tell the full story either – MAPFRE has dropped to sixth place in this morning’s 1000hrs ranking, while Neutrogena jumps to fourth. But while Neutrogena currently maintains her speed to gain on the leading trio, Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez (ESP) on MAPFRE are taking a divergent route, heading south-south-west.

Meanwhile the most south-westerly of all, Foncia, is currently ranked in 9th position, yet is markedly the fastest boat on the course, making 14 knots in gradient breeze from the South American coast. And of course one boat is concealing their true position, with Virbac Paprec 3 remaining in ‘stealth’ mode until 1500hrs this afternoon.

For other boats in the fleet it is a more straightforward race, as GAES Centros Auditivos and Renault Z.E. Sailing Team continue their closely matched parallel course, with just 50 miles separating them in 7th and 8th respectively. But the real reckoning point will be the scoring gate of Gough Island; those boats able to hook into a fast-moving low pressure system may be able to convert theoretical gains into a more concrete advantage, whilst for those left behind, the truth could well hurt."

The weather report with really weak winds is always very subjective and Alex is only making 2k against the 5 I was expecting him to do.

Yes, Foncia (Desjoineaux) is blasting doing 14K but we will soon find headwinds and the lateral difference to Alex is almost 600nm. He is more to the South and if we discount the way Pella has to do to be at the same latitude it will give him an advantage of 300nm. Foncia is going faster and reducing that distance but the true distance between the two boats will only be apparent when they sail the same course at the same latitude. Foncia is faster now but in a day or so we would have to go against head winds and then Estrella Damm (Alex) will be faster.

Pella seems to be at the best spot to cross the no wind Zone (look at the 12 hours weather report) and it all depend at what time Pella will catch the wind to be out of that trap. He will have then less headwind than Foncia in its way to the East. 

Vibac Paprek is in stealth mode and I think he is going to appear East of Foncia, closer than it was and in a position that probably will permit having less head wind than Foncia.

As you say, very interesting 

I find this much more interesting than racing around cans or racing in a short race that has the same wind for everybody. This is truly ocean racing 

Regards

Paulo


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## Yado

Are they shooting for the Gough Island Gate and then on to Good Hope?


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## PCP

No, after passing there they will go East.

Here you have the mandatory gates:










They are there to prevent them passing in Dangerous zones:

The safety gates are established to limit the descent of the yachts into dangerous areas, perhaps because of floating ice or because these areas are too far away from maritime rescue services in the southernmost countries.

The zone borders will depend on the evolution of the ice caps (floating polar ice), and as such, won't be made known until the 1st of November 2010, two months ahead of the start.

Penalties

Any stop ahead of 140ºE will not be penalised. That is the longitude for the extreme Southeast of Australia, before the island of Tasmania. From thereon until the finish in Barcelona, any stop on land will be of an obligatory 48 hours in length.

They don't say but I think that Gonçalo Alvares (Gough) Island gate is there to prevent them to pass near Cabo da Boa Esperança, a heavily traffic area with notorious stormy seas.

You know, Cape of good hope is a literal translation of the original XV century Portuguese name and that name was not given by sailors (as usual) but by the king himself. The name the sailors had given it was Cabo das Tormentas (Cape of the big storms). The king thought it was a bad omen and changed the name. The good hope was the hope of finding a sea way to India .

The English name for the Gonçalo Alvares island (Gough) is just a bad joke:laugher .

The Island has discovered by Gonçalo Alvares, a Portuguese Captain, in 1505 and correctly mapped by him, being know and in all the sea charts since then.

230 years later an English Captain, a not very bright sailor, that did not know where he was, saw the Island and as he though he was 400 miles east, declared he had found a new Island. The Island was mapped 400 miles to the east and it did take some time to the British to find out that the island Gough found was Gonçalo Alvares Island and that Gough had made a gross error with its location. To perpetuate an incompetent sailor, they have decided to maintain the name

Regards

Paulo


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## Yado

Gough and Christopher Columbus have much in common.
Thanks for the history lesson and that may be one of the oldest jokes ever told; centuries old.
Like Gough, I too was confused, only I was confused by the note posted in the "news" on the race web site:

“The fleet is quite compacted so I think we’ll get to the Gough Island gate close to each other, maximum 3 days of difference between the 1st one and the last one. That will make the race much more exciting in the south.”

That's where i got the Gough Island gate idea. I guess Gough Island is the nearest land mass to "Puerta Atlantica 1", the gate south of South Africa.


----------



## blt2ski

Paulo, thanks for the BIG map, makes it a bit easier to understand the routing. I too can see not having the racers go too far south if you will. as it will shorten the course persay, BUT, also make it harder to rescue, issues with ice bergs or equal, higher winds etc. 

Marty


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## PCP

Yado said:


> ... I guess Gough Island is the nearest land mass to "Puerta Atlantica 1", the gate south of South Africa.


Right


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## hermitCrab

Based on the current forecast for the next week, I think Foncia and Virbac-Paprec will have a lead of more than 300nm by the time they reach the Greenwich Meridian. I think they will both turn southeast by tomorrow morning and will have good tailwinds on the east side of a low trough that will form later in the week between a high just off Argentina and the 'St. Helena' high in mid-atlantic. I think after escaping the little highs (no wind) that they are currently fighting, the eastern flotilla will have a couple days of good wind and then be caught in the St. Helena high on Saturday or so.

Of course, a forecast is only a forecast, especially several days ahead, and anything can happen. I think that Mapfre made a big mistake by moving east during their 'furtiv' mode. Now they are too far east to enjoy the tailwinds of Foncia/Virbac and will be caught in the light and variables the eastern boats are fighting for even longer than Estrella Damm and the rest.

The situation may be a little better for the last 3 or 4 boats, because the little highs the lead boats are in may be gone by the time they get there, and they may be able to cut the corner and make gains on the current leaders.

Great Race!


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## PCP

Howwww! If you are right I will be really impressed

I had a look at what you say (on the weather report) but the weather patterns seem to instable to any prevision. It seems th me that the French also have a fair share to be caught by an anti-cyclone (high).


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## hermitCrab

Paulo,

As you say, it is possibly an unreliable forecast  .

I think Foncia and Virbac will be able to sail SE down to 42-44s and then will have to dip north to pass Gough Is. Right now, it looks like they will have the best winds all the way  .

Time will tell!

p.s. - On the last report, Foncia is jumped up to 4th place!


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## Yado

It looked to this virgin-race-watcher that Foncia was on a good heading 

p.s. - On the last report, Foncia is jumped up to 4th place![/quote]

That said, when they reach around 37 south things could really change, from what I can see.


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## hermitCrab

Yado said:


> That said, when they reach around 37 south things could really change, from what I can see.


Yado, welcome to the home of speculation about, and appreciation of, the BWR! It's an exciting contest.

Could you elaborate the trouble you see for Foncia and Virbac at 37s? You are seeing something there that I am not...

By the way, have you all noticed that Pascal Bidegorry and his crew on the giant trimaran 'Banque Populaire' are about to set off on an attempt to gain the Jules Verne trophy?

Also, Thomas Coville may be setting out on the trimaran 'Sodebo' for the record fastest singlehand circumnav.

What a joy it will be to follow these attempts while the BWR is running!


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## PCP

Hermitcrab, I think that 300nm advantage on Greenwich is a bit too much but I think you are right about Desjoineaux and Dick (the French). They are going to pass that gate as first and second. I expected Pella to be for a day at 5K, he was for two days at 2/3 K and that is a huge difference. I think he was planing that way because if they had passed the weak wind at that speed he would have find a straight way to the gate. Now it is not there anymore and he is going to find another high pressure zone.

I think you are right, The French are going South and then going up for the gate, but they will also find a high pressure zone there (near the gate).

It all depends on the accuracy of the weather report and as you know in what regards very weak zones they are not very accurate. On these boats with 6K wind on the right side you can make a bit over wind speed, but if you have 2 or 3 k wind they are just dragging. The difference between 2 and 5/6 K wind is not easy to forecast

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

Regards

Paulo


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## Yado

HC, It just appeared to me that Foncia could find the wind on the nose 24-48 hours out, or as they changed course for the gate. BTW, I only saw the gates just now because you have to zoom out to the right level.....

You and Paulo are clever to see that the French might go up for the gate. That is creative thinking. 
Yado


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## PCP

I think Alex Pella has also saw that is the best solution. I believe that he will continue on the present course till he intercepts the course of the French boats and then he will follow them, but at that time he will be 200nm behind Desjoineaux.

That's brilliantly played by the French skippers (and Hermitcrabe ).

Yado, use this viewer:

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

The one for the race give a better wind perception but only gives a weather forecast of 24h and that's very little. This one will give you a forecast of 72h.


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## hermitCrab

I see that the forecasts have changed a little bit for the worse for Estrella and the others to the east. I think they may lose their wind tomorrow, down to 5-10kts. 

 Foncia and Virbac will have to push very hard SE. They must stay east of the trough forming and moving eastward, and get south before the high spreads out to catch them. Unfortunately, I think Foncia/Virbac may establish an even bigger lead than the 300nm I thought a few days ago. Now, depending if the newer forecast is correct, they could lead the rest by 500+nm when they cross Greenwich Meridian. I think they will be slowed when they jog northeast to pass Gough Is., but I think it's going to be even worse for the others.

If they do, it will be very difficult, and probably impossible for the others to catch up unless the two new french boats have more breakages.


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## PCP

Yes, worse for Alex and the ones that choose that course and better for The French. They could not have better wind and it is still increasing. They are making over 20K

Iker martinez on Mapfre is already probably in 3th place.

Guys, can you see the gate on this viewer?:

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

I can see the one that is after the Gough gate, but cannot see that one.

It appears clearly here:

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/

Regards

Paulo


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## Yado

Paulo, I was going to ask you the same thing. I could not find the route or the gates on the french site, though you are correct that the extended weather window makes for better guessing and speculation.
I found myself looking at the barcelonaworldrace.org site more because it showed the gates and the route. 
I wish i had more time to work the calculations now but can't do it, but i am watching and trying to be smart about the race............
Michael


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## blt2ski

On can see the gates in both. The wind speed is a wash. The actual arrows if you will on the French site are smaller, but the colors change enough so it is easier to see the wind strengths. 

The issue I seem to be having, is getting either to refresh/update if you will, with out turning off the extra's I have clicked on, like the route, wind etc. what PITA!

Marty


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## hermitCrab

The BWR tracker doesn't show the Gough Is. mark. The gate you see SW of Good Hope is at 42s. Passing north of Gough was instituted after the race began, and for some reason has never been added to the tracker.

Interestingly, getting weather forecasts from different sources can be confusing. I look at passageweather.com, and the french and BWR trackers, and each has a slightly different forecast. Passageweather is the GFS (global forecast system), the leCam tracker is probably Meteo France, and the weather on the BWR tracker is something else. For the south atlantic I trust the GFS model more, but in the southern indian ocean, I will trust the French forecast more because the islands down there are French.

As the forecasts change, it looks like Foncia and Virbac may fail to keep ahead of the front they are riding, and may be slowed more than anticipated near Gough. The forecast for the eastern group has also deteriorated more - high pressure may spread and block them from Gough and the south for a couple days from Sunday.

All in my opinion, which is worth what you paid!:laugher


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## PCP

About Desjoineaux, yes he will lose that express speed way, but than he would be at only 100nm of the gate and with some wind to go on. After passing the gate he can dive South for more wind.

Hey guys, do you have noticed that the mid pack will reach Gough gate under really heavy wind?


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## hermitCrab

PCP said:


> About Desjoineaux, yes he will lose that express speed way, but than he would be at only 100nm of the gate and with some wind to go on. After passing the gate he can dive South for more wind.
> 
> _Foncia and Virbac can't dive too far south because there is a gate at 42s before Good Hope that they must pass north._
> 
> Hey guys, do you have noticed that the mid pack will reach Gough gate under really heavy wind?
> 
> _It depends on when they finally get there!_:laugher


I think Estrella will fall into the wind hole in a couple of hours.


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## Yado

This Gough Island gate was added by the organizers on January 12th: "The Barcelona World RACE organisers have stipulated that this remote Atlantic island must be kept on the starboard side by the IMOCA 60 fleet."


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## PCP

Lucky Frenchs Just run a playback of the lat days on the site tracking device with the weather on and you will see the wind turning to the right position exactly when they are passing by

After all they managed to avoid any real wind hole and are just blasting away from everybody. Dick has run a better course and is catching Desjoieux. They are only separated by around 20 miles.

Mapfre, as previewed is third but he is more distant....and the rest will be very far away when they manage to escape the big wind hole they have just ahead

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011


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## PCP

Talking about speed: Virbac Paprec (Dick's boat) has made *516nm* on the last 24 hours (average 21.5K). Difficult to keep up with that


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## Yado

*Race to the Gate*

Wow....Virbac Paprec cut Foncia's lead in past 24 hours or so. This will be a real-race-to-the-gate.


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## blt2ski

at 4:22am utc time, or about 8:30 pm here on the left coast of NA, the boats speeds have ALL dropped to the middle single digits! wind must have died etc.....

The field has spread out over the last few days too.


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## PCP

The French have wind, but its right from behind so the speeds dropped to about 9K. Dick is chasing effectively Desjoineaux. He was at about 10nm when Desjoineaux decided to enter in stealth mode.

Mapfre, just a bit higher (or lower on latitude) than the French is completely **** A nightmare ahead. The main pack is not so **** but they are sailing really slow and they will continue to sail really slow 

For the next days: I bet Desjoineaux is going to pass the gate and dive South (that's why he is in Stealth mode) to catch stronger winds. We will see what Dick is going to do: Opt for a more direct approach or going also South (he can not know what Desjoineaux will do for 24 hours).

Regards

Paulo


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## hermitCrab

As you probably know, the ice gate from 1e-6e has been moved north from 42s to 40s. Also the bottom of the Agulhas gate. I think everyone will be kept up near 40s until after Cook Straight New Zealand.

Foncia has gone 'furtiv', so we won't see them again until tuesday. A low pressure system will pass south of them and will give Foncia, Virbac, and probably Mapfre fast winds again. I think the others are pointing too much east and not enough south, and will miss this first system. They will be left even further behind. This crowd are bunching up in the light air, and it will be a good race for 4th-9th.

time will tell


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## Yado

There is a little black colored square box above Foncia, with a line going through it. Do you know what that signifies?


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## hermitCrab

Yado said:


> There is a little black colored square box above Foncia, with a line going through it. Do you know what that signifies?


I think that just signifies that Foncia is in 'furtiv' mode.


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## hermitCrab

Didn't the RC change the ice gate from 1e>6e from 42s to 40s?
I don't see any indication on the trackers, the official website tracker or the leCam/President tracker that Virbac complied. It looks like they were never north of about 41s for those longitudes.
Whazzup!?

edit: SI Rider #3 says 40deg*30min*s...my bad. Virbac did that.


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## PCP

PCP said:


> The French have wind, but its right from behind so the speeds dropped to about 9K. Dick is chasing effectively Desjoineaux. He was at about 10nm when Desjoineaux decided to enter in stealth mode.
> 
> ...
> For the next days: I bet Desjoineaux is going to pass the gate and dive South (that's why he is in Stealth mode) to catch stronger winds. We will see what Dick is going to do: Opt for a more direct approach or going also South (he can not know what Desjoineaux will do for 24 hours).
> 
> ..


The last day was very funny  Look at what I have said: I think Dick thought the same way I had thought and dived South to counter attack a possible Desjoineaux move on that direction. Desjoineaux acctualy give the impression that he was changing course but staid in the same course.

Result:

Dick won 20nm over Desjoineaux . The South course was indeed a better option

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/


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## PCP

*BIG NEWS:*

*Foncia, Desjoineaux's boat is out of the race*. The mast just broke:

The report was sent from Foncia's Michel Desjoyeaux and François Gabart at 0659hrs this Wedenesday morning.

" On January 26th 2011 at 0240hrs UTC positioned at 41°12,6 S and 8°59,8 E Foncia was sailing a course of 115 degrees at an average of 18 knots under Solent and one reef with the wind at 140 degree blowing at 25-30 knots, wind swell, and had the same conditions for around eight hours.

The mast broke above the solent hound, in other words around 25 metres above the deck (27.3m long tube). The rigging is still up held in place by the lower shrouds, the runners, the staysail stay and main jib stay. The broken sectiont is hanging down at 20m up and is still held in place by the halyards. The solent, unfurled, because in use when the damage occurred was twisted around the whole mast.

The mainsail is held by its halyard at the third reef. Everything has stayed on board, nothing lost overboard. I can't hide our disappointment, but we are healthy except I have a little pain in my right thumb which I got when I was trying to get the Solent under control.

We do not ask for any assistance. We are currently trying to head for Cape Town under sail, around 600 miles off. Our current speed is 11 knots course 76 deg. The forecasts for the next few days show no risk (today 25 to 30 knots from the S, weakening and clocking W). In two days the passage of the anticyclone (bringing light winds). If the seas are slight then maybe we will have the chance to climb the mast to recover the pieces and to be able to drop the mainsail. After that we should see 20-25 knots from the SE in to Cape Town.

Our ETA Cape Town then should be 30th or 31st January. *We retire from the Barcelona World Race*."

It seems to me that would not be impossible to repair the mast in some days and go back to the race, not far from the last boat and in a position to end the race on the middle pack but it seems that only victory counts for them


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## blt2ski

While victory may be the only thing too, they may be assuming that they will motor soon to CT, or it is very splintered or something we do not see. They may also be fearing the worst, so going with that prognosis. Need to look up some more, have not looked at the links in a day or two.

Marty


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## Yado

*Foncia is*

Foncia is out? What a disappointment. At least they can still sail to safe harbor.
I guess Team Smurf will put more distance between themselves and the following fleet. As the Barcelona news post said, "Only race leader Virbac-Paprec 3 are left surfing the low pressure system today as the chasing peloton drop off the back of it into the transition flux behind.."
This makes me wonder if it isn't probable that Virbac-Paprec 3 could find themselves on the wrong end of another weather system=50% chance of that happening. I'm just thinking of what could stall them and allow the fleet to catch up.


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## PCP

Yado said:


> ..
> I guess Team Smurf will put more distance between themselves and the following fleet. ...
> This makes me wonder if it isn't probable that Virbac-Paprec 3 could find themselves on the wrong end of another weather system=50% chance of that happening. I'm just thinking of what could stall them and allow the fleet to catch up.


Yes, but no as bad as the one that the others got. Just less wind. But anyway the pack is going to close a bit in Dick, but I don't think that it will be has dramatic as they imply here:

Any expectation that Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron are running away seem set to be scotched as a big high pressure is set to move into their path, a roadblock which they will need to negotiate, expecting the centre to be over them on Saturday.

Of course Virbac-Paprec cannot circumvent the anticyclone because of the security gates.
And by tomorrow the Spanish-French peloton, sequentially Groupe Bel, Estrella Damm and then MAPFRE will be given a fast ride east on the next low pressure system, which should reach Groupe Bel, first and MAPFRE last - based on current positions.

So the stretched rubber band is programmed for release, catapulting the chasing pack towards the leading French duo. Models suggest the biggest gains might be to Pepe Ribes and Alex Pella on Estrella Damm, who might recoup something like 150 miles on the leaders, and also gain on MAPFRE.


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## hermitCrab

Race Committee has added more gates at 42s to keep the fleet away from the extraordinary amount of icebergs. I wonder how these bergs will affect Banque Populaire, who are closing in on the doldrums now.

Because most of the racing boats are a few years old and well tested, I expect at least half of them to finish, in contrast to only 11 of 30 in the last Vendee Globe. So far, only President, Foncia, and possibly Lechera are out, but the toughest sailing is still ahead. The Indian Ocean, which the fleet are about to enter, claims more than it's share on these round-the-world races.

Virbac has an enormous lead now, and in spite of short-term accordian effects from time to time, it is their race now unless they break. They will be able to be more conservative without the direct competition of Foncia. I think Mapfre is a very fast boat and has the sailors to give Virbac some competition in coming weeks.

Good luck to the fleet!


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## PCP

The pursuing pack had won about 150nm to the leader and they have been racing in heavy weather (40/50K wind) and they are just preparing for worse conditions, specially the leading boat (Dick/Peyron). The next days should be interesting

Jean Pierre Dick (FRA) Virbac Paprec 3 :"With Loïck we are pretty much focused on the big depression, a bit worrying, which is coming from Madagascar. The depression is generated by the conflict of warm air from Madagascar and the cold polar air. It should hit us just at the time we are at the Crozet gate. There is a strong headwind expected in advance of and behind the front, 40-45 knots and big sea. It is a little bit dangerous, a proper storm. There are several possible scenarios for us to approach it, and we scour the models to see how they agree.

The chasing pack of four boats have had a generally profitable weekend, enjoying periods of brisk speeds, strong winds and more challenging conditions. Estrella Damm's Pepe Ribes reported racing last night in 40-45 knots, with three reefs in the main for the first time.

Ryan Breymaier (USA), Neutrogena:"We had a long night, we had a little bit of the wind dying last night and we had super big waves from a variety of different directions which made the sea state terrible and it made it very difficult to go fast, sometimes you had waves coming from the front, you would have a huge hole in the water, and it was pretty dangerous for nose diving because of the big holes as the two swells separated in front of the boat, we had to be very careful with the angle we sail to keep going as fast as possible without any silliness."

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/


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## PCP

Yado said:


> Paulo, I was going to ask you the same thing. I could not find the route or the gates on the french site, though you are correct that the extended weather window makes for better guessing and speculation.
> I found myself looking at the barcelonaworldrace.org site more because it showed the gates and the route.
> ...
> Michael


Michael,

I have found out that for seeing the gates in both sites you have to connect "Orthodromie" on the French site and Ruta Orttodrómica on the Spanish site.

The gates on the French site were not corrected (they have been changed to a lesser latitude on account of the presence of ice ).

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

http://tracking.barcelonaworldrace.org/

Regards

Paulo


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## Yado

Thanks Paulo, Haven't read the news for several days but a quick look at the position of the fleet looks like they're closing in on the leader, no?


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## Yado

Looks like Virbac Paprec 3 reached the Corzet ice gate. Do the boats have to cross a latitude between the gates, go between the gate ends, or can they just sail north of them?
Looks like they may have some heavy upwind sailing to get to the next ice gate, Amsterdam.
Am I wrong or is the race tightening up, which always makes it more interesting. Too bad Foncia dropped out due to a broken mast. They could still jump in at the back of the race, no?


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## PCP

Yado said:


> Looks like Virbac Paprec 3 reached the Corzet ice gate. Do the boats have to cross a latitude between the gates, go between the gate ends, or can they just sail north of them?
> ...
> Am I wrong or is the race tightening up, which always makes it more interesting. ...


They have just to cross the gate. They are going up through the gate, than South again, trough the gate again. I think it's the last pass that counts.

Dick have just managed to escape the heavy winds and probably he is going to make it ahead of the depression, catching only strong but good sailing winds. The depression is going to pass between the first boat and the second one (that's luck ). It seems that Iker, Alex and Kito are also going to escape the worst of it. They are going to find huge seas but only strong winds.

About the race, from the last gate to this one Iker Martinez (2th) managed to recover about 50nm to the leader, but he is still almost 550nm away.

The ones that seem to have made good progress are Kito/Sebastien, on Groupe Bell. They have managed to recover 100nm to the leader and they are really closing on Alex Pella (3th).

Run the weather here for the next 48 hours and you will see that big and huge depression passing between the boats:

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011

Regards

Paulo


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## hermitCrab

Yado, jeanlecam.geovoile tracker has updated the position of the gates. All boats must be north of the gate latitude anywhere between the gate-end longitudes. 

Great racing between Estrella Damm and Groupe Bel  !
Neutrogena may be catching Mirabaud also!

Looks like difficult weather for everyone, especially those at the rear.


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## PCP

After a long chase finally Groupe Bell caught and overtake Estrella Damm and I think he is going away. 

Good news for the race interest: Tonight the leader lost about 20nm to the 2th (Mapfre) and on the last 24 hours Groupe Bell won 70nm to the leader. That makes it the fastest boat in the race. He is now in third and the chase for the 2th has just begun  He is 135nm away. GO KITO GO


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## PCP

The chasing pack (2th,3th,4th) all won, on the last 24h, about 30nm to the leader. That's the story of the last days 

I thought that Dick was dominating the race....but I am not so sure anymore. it is a long race.


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## hermitCrab

PCP said:


> The chasing pack (2th,3th,4th) all won, on the last 24h, about 30nm to the leader. That's the story of the last days
> 
> I thought that Dick was dominating the race....but I am not so sure anymore. it is a long race.


Paulo,

If Virbac does not have any important failures, I think they will keep a 24 hour lead on everyone. The next place for the peleton to catch up will be in the Tasman, which can have surprises for all. One day it can have storm, and the next dead calm.

I think that if I were sailing this race, I would like to be on Mapfre (ex-Foncia). In my opinion, it is the fastest all-around boat in the fleet, and is well sorted. If they had maintained the courage of their westerly move after the equator, they might be leading right now.


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## PCP

hermitCrab said:


> Paulo,
> 
> If Virbac does not have any important failures, I think they will keep a 24 hour lead on everyone. The next place for the peleton to catch up will be in the Tasman, which can have surprises for all. One day it can have storm, and the next dead calm.
> 
> I think that if I were sailing this race, I would like to be on Mapfre (ex-Foncia). In my opinion, it is the fastest all-around boat in the fleet, and is well sorted. If they had maintained the courage of their westerly move after the equator, they might be leading right now.


It seems that you are right about Virback and Dick. If they don´t make any big mistake it will be very difficult to catch them. But I think the fastest boat on the race is Virback. On the last days they have won again over everybody and if I am reading right the weather, they are going to win even more on the next days.

Mapfre has lost a lot of miles to its pursuers. It seems that Estrella Damn and Groupe Bell are going to catch it. Of course, the boat could be fast and the problem can be Iker and Xabi.

The ones that are impressing me are Pella/Ribes on Estrella Damn. They have not only managed to resist the attack of Groupe Bell and its very experienced crew (Kito/Audigane) as they are clearly on the hunt for Mapfre.

The front pack is really making a very good speed. They are already approaching Australia :

Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA), Virbac-Paprec 3: "We had very strong winds at an angle which was just not good and big waves and so to get to the gate we did not go so fast. Behind us I think they were averaging 19 knots and I think we were 16 knots. But we are downwind again and thing will open out again. We will have a little less wind over the next bit. The last two days were really full on, the boat was shaking with lots of carbon noises.

Alex Pella (ESP) Estrella Damm:" The waves are long and about eight metres high. There are twenty knots of wind from the south (170), and we are doing 15 knots heading east (94 degrees)
....
Mind you, the watches are exhausting. You finish completely punctured.
So we try to eat and sleep as much as we can. ..


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## hermitCrab

I really think the advantage of Virbac is the sailors onboard. Dick and Peyron are far more experienced in Open 60 than any of the others. Their routing, and a little luck, has placed them in good wind and they have made the most of it.

For Mapfre, I think the real problem is that Iker + Xabi have too little experience with making routing choices. They stayed too north for a couple of days, and have paid the price that Estrella Damm and Groupe Bel are catching them. I think Estrella Damm has a speed advantage over Groupe Bel so that when they are in the same wind, the Laughing Cow can not advance. Pella and Ribes are doing a fantastic job of sailing and routing, as they did in the South Atlantic. But part of their advantage, in my opinion, is that they sail the Farr design (basically the same as Mapfre) rather than the Verdier design of Groupe Bel.

If the current forecast holds, I think that they will pull back some miles on Virbac in the middle of the week. Time will tell...

Of course it is too late for them, but look at the speeds of Hugo Boss now that they have reached the south with a bit heavier weather and waves. They are very fast!


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## PCP

You seem to have a liking for Farr boats . I don't agree, I think that overall, the two fastest boats on the race were Foncia and Virbac, both VPLP/Verdier designs. Perhaps the Farr boats have a slight advantage upwind, but that's it, downwind (that is most of the time) they are slightly slower than the Verdier designs. I don't agree that Groupe bell (VPLP/verdier) is slower than Estrella Damn (Farr). It will depend on conditions and points of sail, but downwind with medium winds Groupe bell will be faster. They had strong winds last week and that probably is better for the Farr, but I bet that Groupe Bell is going to pass Estrella Damn, just because there are more medium winds than strong winds .

Off course, I agree with you that Pella and Ribes are doing a fantastic job, but Kito is also a great sailor. Anyway the difference between both boats is not great.

Regarding the other boats it is a shame that Hugo boss is sailed by not very experienced sailors. On this waters experience counts a lot. You can not just put the power on and go as fast as you can. The boat would break and it is needed a lot of experience to go as fast as you can without breaking the boat.

Do you have noticed this amusing accident with Neutragena (the German/American boat that is chasing (and catching) Mirabuad):

Boris Herrmann (GER) Neutrogena:" The basic problem is pretty steep waves and how to make the boat go fast. It is easier to sail the boat in very steep waves with a lot of ballast in the stern. Our problem started yesterday when we lost the stern tube and the boat wiped out and in this whole episode we lost one sail over the side. We were sailing with the small kite and one reef in the main and so it takes quite a while to take sock the kite.

Once we had done that we looked at each other and said do we really do this because we had at least one and a half miles to go back and it was big waves, and gusts and everything. We did not expect to find it, so we said 'lets try' and we turned and on the trace on the navigation programme we could find the point where we wiped out, we went to the position with a couple of tacks, going upwind with very small sails.

From there we went downwind very slowly. And all of a sudden I could see a few albatross and they were sitting on our sails.

*I think we have something going on with the albatross. Today we had a problem, we were Chinese-ing the boat (Chinese gybing) heeling over from one side to the wrong side. When that happened once again an albatross was flying close, as if he was keeping an eye in us. Each time we make a stupid mistake it seems like there is one near the boat.*

First of all it was quite stressful but in fact finding the sail and then managing to get it back on deck in these big waves was a miracle, but even since then it has been steep waves. And so since then we have probably had to reef and unreef the main probably five times since then, sometimes down to two reefs, some time one and sometimes full main. Yesterday between two positions we were very close or ahead of Mirabuad and we did not want to lose too many miles, to gain back the lead over them and it was the perfect time to go fast this morning.

Ryan worked on the tube today while I took care of the boat and cut a piece of it off to seal it again. We cannot use any ballast then and had to heel the boat over to keep the ballast tube empty. It was a challenge in many ways.

But the thing has been glued in place for half an hour and now we are just waiting for it to dry, and the glue can set within a hour because we will pass the gate and then need to gybe south again.

Yesterday we saw them all morning, we sailed alongside them and could see them pretty clearly, we were close and then gained on them, from quite a way behind, just gaining on them before we gybed."

Regards

Paulo


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## hermitCrab

:laugher Funny story about finding the overboard sail because Albatross are perched on it.

I'm trying to understand why Mirabaud and Neutrogena have gone so far south. As of the last sched, Mirabaud has finally gybed, but Neutrogena are still pointing at the Kerguelens and making zero vmg toward the next gate. 

It is not so much I like the Farr, as I think the Verdier is not an improvement. I don't believe it is coincidence that Jourdain (Farr) and le Cleach (Finot Conq) simply outran Guillemot, Riou, and Dick (all Verdier) in the Route du Rhum.


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## PCP

It seems to me that Vibrac is the fastest boat. On the last Route du Rhum they had very unusual conditions with lots of upwind sailing and not much pure downwind rides. I think that's why the Farr where better.

About the race: I am curious to see if the Southern course of Groupe Bell pays off in the next days. It makes sense to me...but I know little about this matter.

Mapfre is being successfully hunted and Estrela Damn is really close.. Vibrac and Dick are still winning miles over everybody

It seemed to me that even Desjoineaux was having trouble to go at the same pace of Dick and now that he is gone, there is no real contender for that boat and that crew. By the way, those two are among the oldest sailors on the fleet. An outstanding job for two old salts. Dick has 45 but *Peyron has already 51*. Great shape for a 51 old guy What I am saying...he is one of the best, regardless of its age and that's amazing


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## hermitCrab

PCP said:


> It seems to me that Vibrac is the fastest boat. On the last Route du Rhum they had very unusual conditions with lots of upwind sailing and not much pure downwind rides. I think that's why the Farr where better.
> 
> An outstanding job for two old salts. Dick has 45 but *Peyron has already 51*. Great shape for a 51 old guy What I am saying...he is one of the best, regardless of its age and that's amazing


In the RdR, Akena Verandas (2007 Farr) kept up very well downwind beside Desjouyeaux in his new Verdier.

On Mirabaud, Dominique and Michele are each 55 years old! Old age power!

Anyway, no question that Virbac is fastest - they lead by 782nm. But they have not been in the same wind with the others, so it is difficult to compare boats.


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## PCP

hermitCrab said:


> ...
> *On Mirabaud, Dominique and Michele are each 55 years old*! Old age power!
> ...


Yes, no doubt about that!!!. I am a big fan of those two.

Speaking of Mirabaud, Neutragena and its American/German crew seems to have successfully glued their boat back to shape and are going to charge again, chasing Miradaud.

They are in the right spirit:

"Ryan Breymaier (USA) Neutrogena: "We are definitely feeling better these days. We have got all the work done on the boat and got over all the problems we had on the boat recently and *we have been sleeping rather than gluing things back together or driving the boat, while the other glues things back together*. And that has a positive impact on us. We are thinking more clearly, making smarter decisions, and sailing faster.I feel stronger all the time, I feel like I don't really need to weigh as much as I sometimes do and all the work we do has certainly improved my fitness."


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## blt2ski

I do not look at the what is going on for a week, and there is some 3000 miles tween the leader and the last place person! that is over 300 miles a day difference! Some must have went into a hole or two, where the leaders stayed ahead. Meanwhile the blurbs I see on face book, seem to show it being a closer race! hmmmmmmmmm

need to watch the tracking pages a bit more.......

marty


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## PCP

Yes, this has been an interesting race with a lot of curious episodes. Here is one: The reason Mapfre (2th) had slowed down and was being caught by Estrella Damn (*fantastic story* ):

"Double Olympic medallists Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez are world renowned as 49er and Volvo round the world sailors but it is their new found boat-building skills which have helped them hang on to second place in the Barcelona World Race after an epic battle to rebuild as much of a snapped daggerboard as they could.

The MAPFRE team revealed this morning that Martinez and Fernandez had hit something and lost 1.5 metres off their port daggerboard five days ago which goes some way to explaining their recent drop in speeds.

After cannibalising foam from the helm's seat from the cockpit of MAPFRE to rebuild some of the broken section back to a useable profile, the Spanish sailing heroes are *back up to speed this afternoon, quickest in the fleet and catching miles on the leaders Virbac-Paprec 3*."

Don't miss the full story here, told by themselves :

Gold medal sailors turn gold medal boatbuilders to keep MAPFRE in the fight - News - Barcelona World Race

Some juicy parts :

From the gate onwards, we managed to start sailing downwind and then managed to remove the daggerboard, although neither is ideal for sailing since you are sailing with a hole in the hull but still is probably better than having all the damaged area under water.

At first glance it was just the tip which was broken, a meter or a meter and a half, a cut in the front side which was more damaged and the structure had suffered more, thus having its deepest part now in the spar was completely exposed What a mess! What do we do? You can sort of survive without a daggerboard, without losing too much to Cape Horn but after that.... forget it. Or stop in New Zealand or fix it on board. The first option we didn't even think about it so: let's fix it!
.......

This is easier said than done. First, try and move one of these, about 100 kg and over four meters long, between two people. Sailing is complicated enough but we managed to get it out and lean it on the windward side to work there.

First we tried to rebuild it as much as possible so as we could save as much useable daggerboard. We used the foam from the helm seat to rebuild the front and so we can use most of the daggerboard to the deepest part of the spar (main carbon box section round which the daggerboard is built). The aft side was much better.

Then we had to cover the 'hole' (the exposed bottom) because the daggerboard is hollow and therefore had to cover over the bottom open part. Then we had to make the form as hydronamic as possible, although it was impossible to match the original form, which is the ideal one.

All this was quite quick, like a couple of days after the collision, not sleeping too much (since the only times that you can do anything extra every day on the boat is during the sleeping time). The daggerboard is already looking better. But the laminating was another story. By then the boat was already full of crap everywhere: the sand paper, resins, glue, rags ... a disaster area.

Just what you never want to have on a boat and also those who are catching, catching from behind of course, and you're on to something else!

We didn't see ourselves capable of moving the daggerboard, so we decided to laminate there. WE laminated it as well as we could, but you can imagine ... it was wet, the boat was beating, the wind, and worrying that the cloth is moving, etc.

Finally we finished and decided to cover as much as possible throughout the area we worked to not get wet and see if the next morning was dry. At night, the temperature was about five degrees outside and 20 knots of wind. We started to stick the bow onto waves and the next morning the daggerboard was wet, the resin did not dry! What a disaster.!

We then decided to try to move the daggerboard and to be closer to the entrance of the cabin and try to protect it there, but we were in a hurry because we were sailing on port and in a day and a half we would have to gybe at the Australian barrier, and then wind would be strong again so we would have to get it in before that or it would be impossible afterwards.

We managed to move it, but hitting it a bit, and got the tip inside the boat but it only improved in moisture. Inside the boat at night was 10 º C. It was not enough, so we made a small oven and with the boat engine we managed that this area improved a bit..

We only had left half a day and the resin still didn't dry outside. We had to remove some layers that had not stick but some were looking better, so we decided to start working the shape with other fillers.

Obviously we really needed five cans of filler, we only had one, so we were being as careful as possible!
We managed to make more or less good looking and again the night and the filler that doesn't dry, what despair! Again engine, oven and all sorts of strange ideas, but we were running out of time and also Estrella Damm who was already very close.

At the end we could take out the daggerboard that was inside the boat, but we had to gybe again because we were at the beginning of the Australian barrier.

We gybed and immediately we had 25 knots ....... " It was impossible to replace the daggerboard with water on the deck!

Too dangerous, it could beat us, so we tried as best as we could but to try to keep sailing, with the daggerboard aperture in the water again (the bottom of the daggerboard box)).

Here we checked the weather reports and saw that there was a possibility that the wind did not drop almost to New Zealand, which would be about eight days with a strong storm that we would have to pass.

We did not want to imagine having to go through a storm with the board tied up on deck. If it would let go or break its ties by the sheer force of water, we would lose the daggerboard and possibly it would damage something more with that big piece hitting everything, so we decided to try dropping it in if there was a moment when the wind dropped to 20 knots.
....

The operation went very well and we had the daggerboard well place, what a satisfaction! We were both dead, exhausted, empty of power and then came a report where we saw that "Estrella Damm" was a little over 10 miles astern, but we managed to repair and place it without being passed over. We were thrilled! We felt like we won set point.!

So now we could start thinking about sailing again. First we had to recover. Then rearrange and clean the boat completely chaotic and then we could sail again and try to stabilize the difference with the other boats.

It's been 24 hours since we got it finished and we've managed to get some sleep. The boat is now cleaner and we can return to focusing on the race.

We are back fighting with Alex and Pepe, very stable in the mix, and although we have a few days to recover, eating well and sleeping, we need to recover before the storm hits hard, in about 48 hours."


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## PCP

Hey Guys, not related to the race even if Mirabaud appears on the images, but as all the guys that look at this thread like nice boats I can not resist to share a beautiful movie that I have found.

Put it on HD and enjoy:

YouTube - Best images of heavy weather and yachting from Air Vide et Eau Productions


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## PCP

I hope the repair that Iker and Xabi have made on Mapfre holds on. They certainly deserve that. They are making a great race and now with their boat in good conditions they are escaping their pursuers (Estela Damn) and approaching the leader (Virbac) that is now at less than 450nm away. 

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

The leader (Virbac) is going to have to stop at wellington for a technical refit. They plan a fast stop, but if Mapfre does not stop it will be recovering some miles (50?). There are other boats that are going to stop just to be fully prepared for the big crossing of the Pacific Ocean.

Take a look at the last video, it is a nice one: Virbac sailing at speed aproaching New-Zealand 

YouTube - BarcelonaWorldRace's Channel

And also nice images here, from the Barcelona race and from other racing events:

YouTube - Destopnews 7-2011 English


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## blt2ski

Where is Wellington? is this in the area between the two islands they are going thru? Seems to me a good place to restock food or fix if so. 

Marty


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## hermitCrab

PCP said:


> The leader (Virbac) is going to have to stop at wellington for a technical refit. They plan a fast stop, but if Mapfre does not stop it will be recovering some miles (50?).


No "fast stop" is permitted in Wellington. They must remain at Wellington for 48hrs, so the followers can make up as many miles as they can sail in 2 days.
The rule is that after passing south of Cape Leeuwin, any stop must be for 48hrs, so no quick pitstops like the ones in Brazil.
I think they will re-start in the lead, but a much smaller lead if Mapfre and Estrella Damm don't stop.

I think Hugo Boss may have a chance to make a straight line from where they are right now (1830 16-02) to Cook Straight. If Neutrogena and Mirabaud don't cover, they may get passed. It looks like the door will slam for GAES - they have no good options.


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## PCP

It was on the race site that I have read that they were going to make a quick stop (few hours). That post on the "news" has disappeared so probably they were just trying to see if they got away with it.

Now they all talk of a 48 hours stop and as you say that is according to the rules.

If Mapfre is in good shape after that repair they had to made it is going to recover almost all distance to Vibrac. It is possible that they stay as close as 100nm and Estrella Damn and Groupe Bell, will be also close.

We will have a close race again!!!

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

Mapfre did not stop and is closing on Virbac (the leader): 161 to 150

Listen to what they say about the Mapfre crew:

As second placed MAPFRE passed Wellington today, the first of the Barcelona World Race fleet to pass through the Cook Straits without stopping, the Spanish 2004 Olympic champions raised the bar, adding pressure on the pack which is pursuing them but most of all on the race leaders Virbac-Paprec 3 who are heading SSE into the Pacific after restarting from Wellington yesterday.

Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez, the MAPFRE co-skippers, came to the tough decision not to halt despite acknowledging that they considered it made logical sense to do so, that in fact they felt they would be quicker to the finish if they did, but for them their huge hearts also played a big part in their decision not to stop. Intellectually it might have made sense to halt and return to the race course with their boat at 100%, but the duo make the point that they want to race non-stop around the world. Given that they still have the opportunity to do so, that remains their intention.

Yes, stopping is for pussies GO Mapfre GO.

Look at them, passing by:

YouTube - BarcelonaWorldRace's Channel

Barcelona World Race

Jean le Cam - Président • Barcelona World Race 2011


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## hermitCrab

PCP said:


> Yes, stopping is for pussies GO Mapfre GO.


Haha! Bravo to Mapfre, they want to try to win! I still believe Mapfre (and also Estrella Damm) are just as fast as Virbac in most conditions. If Virbac has an advantage, I believe it will be in light air going north in the atlantic. Of course, Virbac has the most experienced Open 60 sailors, but the guys on Mapfre and Estrella have half a world more experience now.

Last time, in the first BWR, most of the boats stopped. This time I think only a few will stop.


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## PCP

Hey Guys!!! Everybody is sleeping or what???

Look at Mapfre, they are catching Virbac!!!! It seems that half way around the world later they are among the best sailors. They are at just 86nm and keep closing

Fantastic job after that non less fantastic repair on the boat. They deserve to be among the first.

"At the front of the fleet the pursuit of Virbac-Paprec 3 by MAPFRE is relentless. The Spanish Olympic medallists for the first time are less than 100 miles behind the 2007-8 Barcelona World Race winner Dick and Loïck Peyron. MAPFRE, with the continuous advantage of being further from the high pressure system, have more breeze and are likely to keep eroding that margin for another 24 hours at least. And, to add to the tension, with 900 miles to the next ice gate both are taking full advantage curving to 54 and 53 degrees south, into ice territory.

Loïck Peyron said of their *increasingly worthy* opponents:

" I did not know them well before the start, but I learned in Barcelona to observe them. They are among the best, they have a common experience and are complementary characters. These are very serious customers, on a boat no less serious. We have never taken them lightly and they are not far behind. And not for nothing are they there. To have our Iberian friends close to us, it motivates us."

Another ones that are learning and becoming faster are the American/German duo on Neutragena. They have finally left Miraboud behind, didn't stop and managed to overcome Estella Damn and Groupe Bell (stopped), they are now in 4th place. A very good job minding they have a really old boat (2004).

"The catch up is also significant for Boris Herrmann and Ryan Breymaier on the 2004 build Lombard designed Neutrogena, who are less than 60 miles from Wellington this afternoon and looking set to pass into fourth, their best placing since the Straits of Gibraltar:

Boris Herrmann (GER), Neutrogena"We have had a fantastic day out here today, we have plenty of breeze, we had a good opportunity for a rig check, the first shower for 30 days, and an opportunity to dry out things in the sun and being close to New Zealand and to the Cook Straits and we have still kept moving in the light breeze and flat seas, so a very good day for us. We monitor the distance to Mirabaud as well and they have caught up 20 miles or so. We are not sure about Renault. We had our rig check and also I had a little dive to the keel and so we are happy to carry on. Of course we have one or two technical issues ourselves here and there, but we feel very happy to carry on non-stop. Absolutely now we have a very good opportunity to get through and overtake Groupe Bel and Estrella Damm, very likely on the forecast we have a good light breeze which should take us through by daylight. We should pass Wellington tomorrow morning, that should give us a good advantage, and closing in on Renault. I think we just have some lucky times on this boat...."

Those different tactics have just made this race a lot more interesting


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## PCP

PCP said:


> Hey Guys!!! Everybody is sleeping or what???
> 
> Look at Mapfre, they are catching Virbac!!!! It seems that half way around the world later they are among the best sailors. They are at just 86nm and keep closing
> 
> Fantastic job after that non less fantastic repair on the boat. They deserve to be among the first.


Eh!Eh! Mapfre is realling doing it! The Spaniards are really catching the French 

From yesterday Mapfre had won more 35nm to Virbac. They are now at a bit more than 50nm and that is nothing on an Ocean race like this. That's a fantastic race. Go Mapfre Go!!!


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## PCP

What's wrong with you guys? This race never have been so exciting, they offer now four different race viewers and I am talking to myself????

Mapfre is still hunting successfully Virbac, or the Spaniards are after the French and they are managing to catch them up. Yesterday they were at 50nm, today only 15nm separates the two boats.

Eh!Eh! Go Mapfre Go!

But I guess they are going to make a truce to overcame this:

"The major problem is the Atu cyclone, which will cross our paths tomorrow and last for roughly 24 hours. *We are expecting winds of over 60 knots and a very heavy sea with waves in all directions*. We are trying to sail as fast as possible to escape the worst of the phenomenon. If necessary, we will turn back for our own safety. *We are slightly reassured by the latest weather data, which is better than the 80 knot wind forecast yesterday!* We are running on a reach with the southerly wind which will then swing to North-Northwest. This will enable us to accelerate towards the gates and Cape Horn.
We called Estrella Damm this morning. We talked about how we would tackle this cyclone together. We first decided to head south to Chatham Islands, but since things look like they're moving a little, for the moment, we are continuing to following each other and we will make our decision tomorrow morning (UT+1) depending on the latest weather data."


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## hermitCrab

PCP said:


> What's wrong with you guys? This race never have been so exciting, they offer now four different race viewers and I am talking to myself????


Not talking to yourself, Paulo. I just haven't had much to add to what is on the website, but I'm following very closely.

I still think Mapfre (the boat) is just as fast as Dick's new Verdier, so who knows who will win that battle. Dick/Peyron have the experience advantage.

I think Neutrogena has a chance to increase their lead over Mirabaud and maybe catch Renault over the next several days.

Estrella Damm and Groupe Bel look to be delayed by Atu. They would have been better off to dive south immediately after re-starting from Wellington.

The Gaes girls may pass Hugo Boss, but I don't think it will last. They simply aren't fast enough sailors.

Great racing!!


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## PCP

hermitCrab said:


> Not talking to yourself, Paulo. I just haven't had much to add to what is on the website, but I'm following very closely.
> 
> I still think Mapfre (the boat) is just as fast as Dick's new Verdier, so who knows who will win that battle. Dick/Peyron have the experience advantage.
> ...
> Estrella Damm and Groupe Bel look to be delayed by Atu. They would have been better off to dive south immediately after re-starting from Wellington.
> .....
> Great racing!!


Yes, Great racing

About the speed differential between Mapfre and Virbac, I think it is really small. Probably the Verdier/VLP (Virbac) is better with light winds and the Farr better with strong winds. With medium winds both boats are very close.

Yes Dick/Peyron have the experience advantage but both Spaniards are champions and full of fire and desire to win and have made a fantastic evolution in racing that boat. That will be very interesting to follow.

Both leading crews have dodged the bad weather (Atu) but Estrella Damn and Groupe Bell cannot avoid it. The next 24 hours will be hell for them.
The Girls (Gaes) and Hugo boss have to make some careful navigation to escape the worst of it and if they make a bad move they will be in trouble.

You are right, Neutrogena, the German/American team is making a fantastic race. they left behind Miraboud and are chasing Renault. Those two have learned a lot and are really fast now.

The Germans are following closely and cheering about their performance. Neutrogena made the cover of the biggest German sail magazine and the public interest is big. I bet that most Americans don't have a clue of what is Neutrogena or who is Ryan Bremayer

Home

He seems to be an interesting guy and a good sailor that could made a good Vendee Globe, if he could find in America the needed sponsorship, but I doubt he can

Barcelona World Race

Barcelona World Race 2010-2011

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

Last post I have said I didn't want to be where Estrella Damn and Groupe Bell where, right on the ATU pass. Take a look at what says about that "experience" Peppe Ribes on Estrella Damn:

It was not good, we crossed the eye of Atu or rather we found it by thinking we could sail inside it, but no. You can’t sail in these conditions, we knew that but we did not dodge it. I think that having Groupe Bel close with us influenced our decision. I don’t know if you remember the film quote, “Do not underestimate the power of the force.”, well we felt the power and the force of nature. It gave us 30 hours of winds 45 knots and spells of 50 knots and a very confused seas. We had to take down the mainsail and sailed for 12 hours with only the staysail, trying to survive.

Alex and I feel like we half succeeded, considering we have had to swallow tons of Ibuprofen, Alex with a bash to his ribs, and me under my ribs on the right side. The Pearl does not seem to have sustained any damage at first glance. What a boat we have and how it holds the road, and it has done the equivalent miles to four circumnavigations on the clock. What a relation we have with her.

I did not eat anything solid for 30 hours only energy bars and shakes because it was impossible to do anything and do anything with anything which was not attached to the boat, so you were in the bunk or on the floor.”


And now the trouble is waiting for the guys on the lead, at Cap Horn or it is at least what the guys on Mapfre think:

"The routings suggests we could get to Cape Horn on 3rd March.
For the moment we have to face a weather situation, because we are going to have a heavy storm. Looking at the routings we see that this storm is coming and if we go fast we could arrive to the Horn just as it is starting, but if we end up behind it could take us full on and there is no escape because we have to round the Cape and this should be done just before or at the beginning of this great storm and that doesn’t look good at all”.

The race has been great and the Spanish remain very close to the French leaders. Everything is still open


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## hermitCrab

PCP said:


> The race has been great and the Spanish remain very close to the French leaders. Everything is still open
> 
> The Germans are following closely and cheering about their performance. Neutrogena made the cover of the biggest German sail magazine and the public interest is big. I bet that most Americans don't have a clue of what is Neutrogena or who is Ryan Bremayer
> 
> He seems to be an interesting guy and a good sailor that could made a good Vendee Globe, if he could find in America the needed sponsorship, but I doubt he can


Several great races within the race:

Virbac and Mapfre for 1st - it is like Formula 1, where the follower catches up but can't get past. A great fight.

Renault, Neutrogena, and Mirabaud for 3rd - for a while Renault were all alone, but Neutrogena has been catching, and now it looks like Mirabaud will pull up on both for a 3-way dogfight! Go Mirabaud! Old couple power!:laugher

Groupe Bel and Estrella Damm have been duking it out since the Atlantic. I wouldn't be surprised if they finish in Barcelona in sight of each other.

Hugo Boss and Gaes for 8th - Hugo Boss is slightly crippled, so even if the girls aren't quite as fast, I think they may beat the Boss up the Atlantic because Boss won't be able to shake out their first reef.

When FMC stops in Wellington, Lechera will pass them for 10th, and then it will be a race for FMC to re-pass. This one also could go either way.

All in all, very exciting racing!

About Ryan Breymeier, yes it is too bad he isn't better known. I don't know why there isn't more enthusiasm here in the US for top-level shorhanded racing. I think many US corporations that do business in Europe and Britain could get good value from sponsoring a first-rate effort from the likes of Ryan, but other top american singlehanders, Bruce Schwab comes immediately to mind, have found it impossible to get backing. Ryan will crew on the Jourdain MOD70 campaign I think.

It is great to see enthusiasm in Germany for Boris Hermann, and I hope he succeeds in getting first-class sponsorship for a Vendee Globe effort. I think he could win it with a competitive boat and program.


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## PCP

*like a ping-pong ball in a washing machine*

Great post Hermit.

Do you have seen the comments of Kito about being on ATU for 48hours: "Like a ping pong ball in a washing machine"

On board Groupe Bel Kito de Pavant reported to his team today that there was less physical damage to the team but that mentally it was a tough challenge: "We are very pleased that ATU is behind us. For 48 hours, the wind never dropped below 40 knots. We felt very small and a long way from everything. We could do nothing but put our trust in our boat, which is our only protection on this ocean. It was rather like being a ping-pong ball in a washing machine!


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## PCP

Central Lechera broke the mast and his heading with jury rig to Wellinghton, doing 7K:

At between 1815hrs UTC this Tuesday evening the mast of Central Lechera Asturiana broke with half of the spar falling into the water.
Co-skippers Juan Merediz and Fran Palacio are reported to be uninjured and have been successful in recovering the broken half of the spar, the genoa which went in the water and all of the standing rigging is reported to be largely intact. They have managed to set a jury rig comprising part of their mainsail and small staysail and were making a speed of around 7 knots towards Farewell Point.
.....
Central Lechera Asturiana are heading for Wellington which was 290 miles from their reported position. ...
Merediz and Palacio have told Race HQ in Barcelona that they were making around 15kts of boat speed with around 20-25kts of wind at 140-160 degrees in a heavy crossed sea when the rig gave way.

After breaking their mast off Lisbon on the 2nd of December whilst on the delivery passage from Sanxenxo to Barcelona, they won their three week race to step a replacement rig on time and managed to make the race start on 31st December. ..



Neutrogena and its American/German team are closer and catching the Spanish from Renault. Great race from Neutrogena that is very close to a Podium position.


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## PCP

Hey guys nobody is following the race? I am the only one? 

Mirabaud lost the mast on stormy weather:

The steep, at times chaotic seas have already contributed to the demise of Mirabaud’s rig. Dominique Wavre and Michèle Paret reported late yesterday afternoon that their mast had snapped above the third spreader. A battle to secure the broken top section proved unwinnable, and before long it appears the broken section took away two more spreaders and in the end the duo had to cut their rig free.

Speaking this morning live to the Visio-Conference with Barcelona, Wavre outlined that the duo now planned to ride out the remainder of the worst of the stormy low pressure system before attempting to set up a jury rig using Mirabaud’s boom and storm jib.

The Swiss skipper, who had to abandon his 2008-9 Vendée Globe with keel damage, remarked that Mirabaud was low in diesel and so will need to be self-reliant to sail towards the Argentinian coast which was about 650 miles to the west this morning. 

Wavre recalled: “ When it happened we had the seas coming from ahead and we were slamming, the boat making about 10 knots. We heard a crack. We saw the port side spreader at the third level collapse and then everything went very quickly. We could do nothing as the top seven metres of the mast fell. We fought for a good time to secure the remainder of the mast and tried to cut the sails free to set the two parts of the mast free from each other. But the top section of the mast hit the spreaders, smashed them and the whole remaining section became unstable. So we had to cut the shrouds and let it go.

It was 2 or 3 am by the time we had the deck reasonably clear. The deck is not damaged, the boat is watertight and that’s important. Now the priority is to ride out the depression. We don’t know how we will get to the Argentine coast, we don’t have much diesel and so we might need to rely on our own resources to get there.”


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## JaredC

Sounds fun. Who wants to loan me an Open 60?


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## blt2ski

I saw a something or other on FB notices, did not pay too much attention. Probably should have eh.

Marty


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## PCP

JaredC said:


> Sounds fun. Who wants to loan me an Open 60?


Well, overcome hard times give the best memories, the ones you don't forget :

Dismasted Mirabaud are under engine as they ride out the worst of a storm which should pass over them in the next few hours. 
...The duo have been successful in saving the boom which will be used to set a jury rig as and when the weather and their energies allow. Then they would expect to sail towards Argentina.

They have been in regular touch with Marcel Van Trieste who has advised them of the more favourable route to pass the storm in as best conditions as possible while taking into account their probable course to Argentina.

According to reports the morale of the duo remains positive. According to shore manager Magali Paret who is in contact with them all the time, they have been focused entirely on making the boat safe and have not had time to consider what has happened to them. Michèle Paret who is still recovering from an anaemic condition is taking full part in the procedures.They were making a course of 250 degrees."

But they are not the only ones that are having "fun":

Renault Z.E. is also heading north-west into stronger breezes this evening. As Toño Piris emailed from the boat this afternoon: "We're still going upwind and bumping, and slamming, slamming... over and over again. We need a big shift or we're going to go mad."

To understand what they are talking about look at the weather on the map:

Barcelona World Race 2010-2011

Neutrogena and Estrella Damn are really on the eye of the storm.

The new temperature pattern made the old route, higher in latitude, dangerous with plenty of ice afloat. This had changed what was a downwind fast lane in a difficult route with plenty of weather systems, storms and much more upwind sailing. I wonder if this is going to bring some changes in the optimizing of the boat design to the new conditions.

Barcelona World Race

Barcelona World Race 2010-2011


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## PCP

Nice :

"Yesterday evening, following the constant monitoring of their progress under jury rig by the MRCC authorities, the vastly experienced couple had a welcome visit from an Argentinian Navy's Drummond class combat ship A.R.A. "GRANVILLE" and an army plane which were on exercise in the area. The ship was some 14 miles away and set course to rendezvous with Mirabaud which was spotted for them by the plane. A RIB was then sent across to Wavre and Paret with 150 litres of diesel fuel for them which should allow them to make safe passage towards Mar Del Plata.
The couple and the organizers of the Barcelona World Race extend their thanks to the MRCC and the Argentine military personnel for their help and professionalism."

Barcelona World Race

Barcelona World Race 2010-2011


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## blt2ski

Gotta like the Navy's for coming to the rescue when they do, and most of them have in many ways shapes and forms. Along with for the folks onboard, actual practice of practice they do day in and out.

Marty


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## PCP

blt2ski said:


> Gotta like the Navy's for coming to the rescue when they do, and most of them have in many ways shapes and forms. Along with for the folks onboard, actual practice of practice they do day in and out.
> 
> Marty


Marty,

Have you looked at the race? Between first and second only a bit more than 110 nm. The French had a difficult pass on the doldrums and the Spanish are betting on a more direct course but with less wind pressure. Big gamble

The fight for 4th place has also been great. The other top Spanish team caught and overtake the Gernman/American team but they fought back and managed to regain the position

Their race, with a fantastic 4th place in an old boat is big news in Germany:

Home*|*YACHT.DE

Barcelona World Race: "Virbacs" Verfolger kommen nÃ¤her - YACHT-TV | YACHT.DE

Barcelona World Race 2010-2011

Skippers quotes Saturday - Main News - Barcelona World Race

Regards

Paulo


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## blt2ski

Paulo,

Was going to look up info last night, did not, now about 9:15 am my time, race starts at noon, so THAT race take precedence over Barcalona this AM..... sounds like the finish could be interesting and close, that is the way one likes it! Even if it is a 90 day race over 20 something thousand miles.

marty


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## PCP

*"We Are Water" broke the boom in a huge storm (12 Beaufort):*

*The situation is more serious on We Are Water. "The barometer has gone down to 956mb, we are preparing for the worst possible scenario," emailed Jaume Mumbru (ESP) this morning, as he and Cali Sanmarti prepared to ride out what Barcelona World Race meteorologist Marcel van Triest predicted could be the worst Southern Ocean storm of the race due to a deep low pressure system.

The weather forecast for the area they are sailing in for the next 18 hours is severe: a south-westerly gale of 45-60 knots, gusting 75: a Force 12. In conjunction with the strong winds, huge seas are also predicted with a 9-12 metre swell. Heavy rain, squalls, and even snow are all likely as the winds are blowing directly from Antarctica, bringing bitingly cold dense air which makes the conditions all the more intense.

Jaume Mumbrureported from the boat around 1500hrs this afternoon that they were running away from the gale under storm jib only with zero mainsail, in around 55 knot (63mph or 101 km/h) winds. The pair were safely inside the boat, which was making around 11 knots in a north-easterly direction, and reported that although conditions were intensely cold, the wave pattern was better than anticipated with no confused cross-seas.

According to Jaume Mumbrú they were in the stormy conditions and making around ten knots in a very big sea. "The waves began to break dangerously and after taking a very big wave we came out of the cabin to see if there was any damage the discover the boom is broken in half. ...

We are very disappointed because we had taken all the measures we thought possible to take on this weather without risking the boat or ourselves. Now we have to evaluate what the options are taking into account the weather for the next few days and what the best options are to carry out a repa*ir."

Barcelona World Race


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## hermitCrab

Too bad for 'We Are Water' about their boom. It has to be *very* rough conditions to break a boom that is lashed with the mainsail furled. It sounds like they think they will be able to splice it back together. I hope so.

Great racing with Mapfre chasing Virbac, both in 'furtiv' mode last time I looked.
Also close racing between Neutrogena and Estrella as they gain on Renault. I don't think Neutrogena will prevail because of their limited keel movement.

I've been following closely, but haven't posted for a while because I've been busy shopping for a boat. Just made an offer on a 1980 Yamaha 33 that is well set up for singlehand. Wish me luck!

Yes, yes, Paulo. I know its an old shoe, but old, worn shoes are all I can afford.


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## PCP

hermitCrab said:


> ...
> I've been following closely, but haven't posted for a while because I've been busy shopping for a boat. Just made an offer on a 1980 Yamaha 33 that is well set up for singlehand. Wish me luck!
> 
> Yes, yes, Paulo. I know its an old shoe, but old, worn shoes are all I can afford.


Any boat is better than no boat and this old shoe looks sleek :

Yamaha 33 Brochures

Did you got it?

Regarding the race Dick and Peyron are almost entering the Med. Since Desjoineaux had retired they have dominated the race and Iker and Xavi, that have made a great race, where never in a position to overtake them.

With 45 year's one and 51 the other they have proved that old guys can beat young lads . Almost a century of sea experience on that boat .

Regards

Paulo


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## PCP

Back on the med and almost wining the race Paprec Vibac found the kind of sea that I really hate and that is so common on the strait: Strong head wind and short period two meters waves on the bow, look at what they say about it:

*Loïck Peyron, Virbac-Paprec 3:" The passage of Gibraltar was hard, We get some sleep now to recover from the night. It was some of the worst times with the boat since we left. We had a lot of wind, 40 knots with a short sea which could break things. And it is still the same in the Alboran. What a welcome to the Mediterranean, sometimes the worst sea conditions.*

It seems that I am not the only one that hate that stuff


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## PCP

Jean Pierre Dick (45) and Loick Peiron (51) won the race. They finished this morning in front of Barcelona. Well done, great race .

Some words from an interview:

*You look fresh, are you not tired?*

*Loïck Peyron: "Generally speaking if you don't look tired that means that you haven't won the race! Think about someone winning the marathon - the first that wins is tired, but the last one to finish is even more tired.*

*J-P Dick: "I think our level of tiredness is something we'll feel in future days because now our goal was to win and this was our driving engine, and I think we've managed the sleep side of things very well. Loick is a large character and we've tried to get a balance, which has worked fine between us. It is a key issue because we've been in good shape. With Foncia we were competing with them and we managed it well. Experience is something that counts for a lot."*

....

*Loick - JP is the skipper with the most IMOCA 60 miles of recent years, where does winning put him in the ranks of round the world skippers?*

*"He is the sailor who has probably sailed the most miles on an IMOCA in the last 10 years, tens of thousands of miles, a lot more than other sailors and that counts for a lot. His speciality, his strength is he is so tenacious. It is interesting, we are not exactly twins but we are very complementary."*

*Have you fought during the three months, ever shouted at each other?*

*Loick: "Well maybe a little bit, but not so much. Sometimes we shouted at each other but then we realized that we have done something wrong. But I think that first we think that it's our fault, and I think we shout at each other when we've done something wrong. And sometimes we'll do something wrong at the same time and laugh about it. We complement each other. But inevitably when you have two people in a very little room for three months the tension can build and you can see the negative points of the other person, but there is common goal and we have managed this issue very well."*

..
*What's next?*

*J-P: "It's clear for me, I'm going to carry on with IMOCA 60 racing. I changed my life in 2002 when I took part in the Vendée Globe, and now I want to win that. I have a good boat, I know it better and I'll try to make the race of my life to take part in the next Vendée. That is what is going to occupy my mind in the coming years.

"I am interested in multihull, Volvo Ocean Races, many things. But I want to carry on with my partner[partners?] because we're going to carry on this fantastic story that we have started together."

Loïck: "I haven't said I won't do another round the world tour again - if I could do it with my family that would be perfect, my children would love that!!

"Otherwise I would like to repeat this round the world race because it's something fantastic.* .


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## blt2ski

I see Mapfre has arrived 3-5 hrs ago? per the reports I am seeing. Reasonably close race from the distance/time traveled in reality, but as said, Mapfre was never really in the running.

Surprised myself HB never was doing well considering the press they get. Then again, not having the main skipper out, then two weeks later keeping the starting crew, probably hurt there chances out of the box. but that is the armchair sailor typing!LOL

marty


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## blt2ski

Paulo,

On another note and race, I saw a note on the jeanneau owners forum, the tranquandra has about 100 boats signed up, with 1/4 of them sailing Jeanneau's, majority SF3200's. I could not see where on the tranqundra site the boat listings and types. There might be another boat make and model with as many as Jeanneau. The only one I can think of that might get close would be Bene and the figaro or some other make/model that is on par with the sf3200/figaro design spec. AC34 is ringing a bell in the brain for one ie Archembault.

marty


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## PCP

blt2ski said:


> Paulo,
> 
> On another note and race, I saw a note on the jeanneau owners forum, the tranquandra has about 100 boats signed up, with 1/4 of them sailing Jeanneau's, majority SF3200's. I could not see where on the tranqundra site the boat listings and types. There might be another boat make and model with as many as Jeanneau. The only one I can think of that might get close would be Bene and the figaro or some other make/model that is on par with the sf3200/figaro design spec. AC34 is ringing a bell in the brain for one ie Archembault.
> 
> marty


You are right, to see all you have to look in 4 different places, SOLO and DUO and in each one the ones that leave from Saint Nazaire and the ones that leave from Barcelona. Too much trouble to count all of them but there are already plenty and the race starts only in July

Regarding the boats, yes, there are lot's of Sun Fast 32 but also lots of JPK (9.60 and 10.10) lots of Pogos 8.5, lots of Archimbaults (A31 and A35) some J boats, some Bongo an Opium 39 and even a Bavaria 36 .

I would say that it surprises me that there is not any Elan 350 (I meat a guy that said to me that he was racing in one but it is not yet on the lists), no Pogo 10.50, no First 30, no First 40, some (few) 35 and some old 36.7. The guys that are there to win with new boats are betting on the A35 but most of all on the new JPK 10.10. Lot's of them for a new boat.

Transquadra - Transat solitaire et double réservée aux amateurs.

Transquadra - Transat solitaire et double réservée aux amateurs.

Regards

Paulo


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