Nice sailing conditions on deck at sunrise, on board PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG during the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12. Photo Amory Ross/PUMA Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race
Puma faces another night of pressure as Camper and Telefonica close in
After 36 hours of constant attack from CAMPER (Chris Nicholson/AUS) and Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP), Volvo
Ocean Race Leg 6 leader PUMA Ocean Racing (Ken Read/USA)
are facing another night of combat - - but tonight the distances are
vastly reduced.
PUMA goes into a second night of pressure with a
buffer of just 2.9 nautical miles over CAMPER, and have not extended
their lead as skipper Ken Read had hoped. The pot of gold which they
must be first to reach lies 60 nm ahead, at around latitude six degrees
north. Here the wind is forecast to head slightly and provide more
pressure. If PUMA can keep the marauding pair at bay, the northeast
trade winds could set them free, providing beam reaching at least until
the first of the Windward Islands.
“It’s a question of when and
if we pop out of this little Doldrums area,” PUMA skipper Ken Read said
earlier. “Hopefully we will get into some pressure before the other guys
do and put a little bit of distance back on them.”
The battle
heated up tonight when at 1900 GMT. PUMA, the most windward of the trio,
were recording the slowest average speed in the five-boat fleet, beam
reaching at around 10.5 knots. Just five nm to leeward, CAMPER was
sailing fractionally faster at 10.7, while 16 nm further west third
placed Telefónica had gained a mile in the last three hours and were
making 11.5 knots.
Fastest tonight is Groupama (Franck
Cammas/FRA) who are averaging 12.5 knots and steadily eroding their
deficit, which yesterday lay at over 100 nm. Tonight they are 81 nm
astern of PUMA and are concentrating their efforts on reeling in Ian
Walker’s Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing who are eight miles ahead. A tough night
awaits.
- VOR Media
