Team Vestas Wind have recruited two talented and experienced offshore sailors to join their crew for the planned return to the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 from Leg 8 (full story below).

– Top sailors join Nicholson’s comeback crew

– I’m delighted with new boys, says skipper

– Follow Team Vestas Wind’s plans for return

ALICANTE, Spain, May 8 – Team Vestas Wind have recruited two talented and experienced offshore sailors into their crew for the planned return to the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 from Leg 8.

The team will be joined from the Lisbon stopover onwards by Tom Addis and Simeon Tienpont.

Addis will navigate the Vestas Wind boat throughout the final legs of the race. Tienpont will replace Tom Johnson as bowman as the latter has decided to accept a position within the Oracle Team USA.

Australian Tom Addis, 45, is a two-time Volvo Ocean Race veteran – having competed with both PUMA and Teléfonica Blue as navigator in previous editions – and has participated in multiple transatlantic crossings and Sydney to Hobart races.

His engineering and mathematical background is a welcome addition to Team Vestas Wind for the relatively short and technical legs from Lisbon onwards.

Experienced Dutch sailor, Simeon Tienpont. 33, formed part of the America’s Cup winning team Oracle Team USA on two occasions and has one Volvo Ocean Race under his belt as an under 30 with ABN AMRO TWO in the 2005-2006 edition of the Race.

“I’m extremely satisfied with the composition of the team – our profiles are compatible and morale is high,” skipper Chris Nicholson said.

“I know both Tom Addis and Simeon Tienpont well, and I’m sure they’ll fit in seamlessly, positively contributing to the dynamics and performance of the team.

“Now as a complete team, we’re solely focused on rejoining the race in Lisbon and on putting in our best performance for the remaining legs of the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015,” Nicholson said.

Vestas Chief Marketing Officer and CEO of Team Vestas Wind, Morten Albæk, said: “I am very pleased that Chris succeeded in hiring such strong sailors with a good combination of experience and motivation.

“I am very proud of all the hard work put in by the team in regards to the rebuild of the boat – in particular I would like to thank Persico Marine for an exceptional job – and I can’t wait to see the crew and the boat in Lisbon.”

No further adjustments to the Team Vestas Wind crew are expected to be made ahead of the Leg 8 start in Lisbon.

* Team Vestas Wind’s crew was grounded in Leg 2 and the boat has been rebuilt in the Persico boatyard in Bergamo, Italy.

via Addis and Tienpont join Team Vestas Wind| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Things to think about when anchoring

From type of anchor and things to consider when buying an anchor, to parts of an anchor and letting go and pulling up

Types of anchor

There are several different types of anchor that might be on the boat together with the chain and warp.

Before choosing an anchor consider:

The kind of bottom you will typically anchor in. Different anchors are better at holding in some materials than in others.

Decide what kind of anchoring you plan to do; do you just want to anchor while you have a spot of lunch or are you expecting to anchor in a high current, or during bad weather?

How are you planning to store your anchor?

Parts of an anchor

Shank – the main arm or stem of the anchor

Fluke – the holding part of the anchor buried on the seabed

Stock – cross-bar used to flip an anchor so the fluke digs into the seabed

Crown – where shank and fluke are connected

Tripping ring – for breaking the anchor out with a tripping line

How much warp or chain?

The amount of chain and warp used must be far more than the depth of water to allow a good length of chain to lie on the seabed.  This provides a horizontal pull on the anchor that makes it dig in.  If too little scope is let out the boat may drag its anchor at high water.  By marking the chain and warp in some way makes it easier to prepare the correct amount.

Secure holding requires sufficient scope on the anchor warp or chain, which needs to lay along the bottom, before rising to meet the yacht at an approximate angle of 45 degrees.

With chain, use four times the maximum depth and with a combination of chain and warp use six times.  This means that it is important to allow plenty of room behind the boat when anchoring and for the swing, remembering that not all boat will turn at the same time.  Yachts will lie with the tidal stream and motor boats more often to the wind.

The warp or chain is usually measured in either metres or feet.  Let out enough scope for the maximum depth at high tide, using the following a minimum guide:

4 x maximum depth for chain

6 x maximum depth for warp and chain

Heavy chain will provide greater security than warp, but puts a lot of weight into the bows and may be difficult to let go or pull up by hand.

Letting go and pulling up by hand

REMEMBER: Anchors and chains are potentially dangerous.  Wear gloves and sensible footwear.  Keep fingers and hands away from moving chain.

Some boaters use an electric windlass to drop and pull up their anchor however if you don’t have an electric windlass you need to let go and pull the anchor up by hand.  Heavy chain needs to be handled with extreme care.  The skipper should have the engine running, ready to motor forward or astern if required.

Letting go:

Pull the chain up out of the anchor locker and flake it along the deck in a series of loops, which will provide sufficient scope for the depth of water

Before lowering, take a single turn of the chain around the nearest deck cleat to ensure you can hold the weight – extra turns will quickly lock the chain

Let out the chain steadily hand-over-hand.  Letting the chain run at full speed over the bow roller could be dangerous

Pulling up:

When raising the anchor motor slowly ahead as the crew pull in the slack on the chain

Use the engine to counteract the tidal stream.  Too fast and the boat will override the chain; too slow and it will be very heavy work to pull in the chain.  The anchor will not come free until the chain is almost vertical

As the anchor comes to the surface continue to motor slowly so the anchor does not swing and hit the bow of the boat as it breaks the surface

If there is a problem with lifting the anchor then try breaking it out using the engine, having secured the chain to a cleat.

When working with the anchor and chain it is important to be aware of the weight that can be involved, even when a windlass is used.

For advice on using a windlass to drop and pull up your anchor read the RYA’s Yacht Sailing Techniques book by Jeremy Evans.

Vaughan Marsh, RYA Chief Instructor, Sail Cruising comments: “All of the above is really good advice and the RYA’s recognised training centres that offer cruising courses will also be able to give you further advice, or you may wish to sign up for a practical course and put the theory in to practice! Happy anchoring.”

Extracts and information taken from RYA Day Skipper Handbook – Sail, by Sara Hopkinson and RYA Yacht Sailing Techniques, by Jeremy Evans.  To pick up a copy of these and other great RYA Publications visit the RYA Shop.

via Things to think about when anchoring | InBrief | e-Newsletters | News & Events | RYA.

Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) rounded off Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race on Thursday on a perfect, sun-bathed Newport morning with their heads held high, but a burning sense of what might have been (full story below).

– This was our best leg – but we can do better, says Davies

– Shore crew praised for fantastic job on preparing boat

– Dongfeng Race Team clinch thrilling leg finale

NEWPORT, Rhode Island, May 7 – Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) rounded off Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race on Thursday on a perfect, sun-bathed Newport morning with their heads held high, but a burning sense of what might have been.

For so long in the 5,010-nautical mile (nm) leg to the American sailing capital of Newport, from Itajaí, Brazil, the all-women’s crew were right in the mix in the fight for supremacy.

But in the final four days of a 17-day stage, they conceded nautical mile after nautical mile to their rivals and ended up finishing sixth again (see panel above), nearly 12 hours adrift of leg winners Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA).

There were plenty of reasons for the gap including the masses of sargasso weed encountered en route that infuriatingly clogged up their keel and slowed their progress at the beginning of the week.

But, once again, it was simply a lack of pure offshore experience that primarily proved the difference against the world-class male sailors they are competing against.

Skipper Sam Davies, as ever, put a brave face on a result that probably has satisfied none of the women on board, but adds to their growing bank of hard-won experience.

“It feels great to arrive here,” she said in her first interview in dock, with a sea of blue and magenta clad, flag-waving supporters behind her.

“We’re really proud on board Team SCA because we do feel this is the best leg we’ve sailed so far, despite still coming in just behind the others.

“We spent a week fighting with the leaders, that’s the longest time we’ve spent with the front group.

“It almost felt that they were having to work hard to keep up with us at one point. It’s pretty promising for the next three legs.”

However, she added: “In a way we’re a bit frustrated, because if we could go back to Legs 1 and 2 the way we’ve sailed now, we could do a lot better.”

Davies was told about a heartfelt blog midway through the leg written by Charles Caudrelier in which he gloried in Team SCA’s early competitiveness in this leg.

But, tellingly, she responded: “We’ve still got to try to find a couple of secrets from them (their male rivals) because there are certain points of sail where we still couldn’t keep up and especially Dongfeng seems to have that edge again.”

One bright point, however, was the overall performance of the Team SCA boat, which Davies beforehand had been concerned would lack pace with a patched-up fractional code zero sail. It prompted a big vote of appreciation from Davies to her shore crew.

“Massive thanks to shore team: We brought the boat into Brazil in a bit of a state and they did massive work to prepare it and get it race ready for us to do this leg. We have an amazing shore team who never really get the limelight.”

That ‘amazing’ shore team will now set to work on a much lighter work list before the next leg to Lisbon begins on May 17.

Davies and her crew will again lick their wounds before setting out for the three final shorter legs that have always promised to deliver their best results.

Before that, they tackle the Team Vestas Wind In-Port Race Newport on May 16. They are the only team in the series to have won two of the races and look serious contenders to take the overall prize, currently lying in third place.

via What might have been | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Tired, a little disappointed, but still proud, Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) savoured their home town welcome in the small hours of Thursday as Newport residents stayed out in bitterly cold conditions to cheer them in (full story below).

– Newport braves cold to welcome in Team Alvimedica

– Local boy Enright humbled by warm reception

– Dongfeng Race Team edge to thrilling victory

NEWPORT, Rhode Island, USA, May 7 – Tired, a little disappointed, but still proud, Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) savoured their home town welcome in the small hours of Thursday as Newport residents stayed out in bitterly cold conditions to cheer them in.

Skipper Enright grew up in nearby Bristol, but learned much of his craft in the sailing crazy town’s Narrangansett Bay.

He had targeted the sixth leg, won late on Wednesday by Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) after a thrilling tussle with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR), as the perfect stage to grab Team Alvimedica’s first victory.

But it was not to be. The Turkish/American team were in contention in the 5,010-nautical mile (nm) leg until, realistically, the final 24 hours, but in the end had to settle for fifth place also behind Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) and MAPFRE (Xabi Fernández/ESP).

Their much-awaited arrival in their home port was agonisingly drawn out, as the wind faded completely and the temperature dropped to below freezing point.

Still, the boats and town’s people who had journeyed to the race village by Fort Adams to witness the leaders home in their droves, remained to witness the final rites of Team Alvimedica’s leg.

Enright, 30, was delighted and moved by the reception after finally completing the leg from Itajaí, Brazil, in 17 days 14 hours and 24 minutes (see panel above).

“It’s pretty humbling to see all these guys out here at such an obscure hour in no wind for such a long period of time,” he said.

“Obviously, not the result we were looking for by any means, but it’s always good to be home,” he said.

The team, which boasts the youngest crew in the race ahead of Dongfeng Race Team, is on a steep learning curve.

Until this race, Enright had not crossed the Equator in a sailing career which was first publicly highlighted in the 2008 Disney film, Morning Light.

“We’ve learned a ton,” conceded the skipper. “We’ve been behind since day one with not having experience from previous races, but we’ve learned a lot about the boats, how to sail them, boat speed stuff, tactical stuff, comms stuff. Every day we are learning – as is everybody.

“I like to think we’ve learned at a little better clip because we had a little bit more to learn at the beginning. Although this result doesn’t reflect it, we’ve learned a lot from this leg too. One day one of these legs will be ours.”

Team Alvimedica’s arrival left just Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) still to finish the leg. They were forecasted to arrive in Newport around 1300 local time (1700 UTC) later on Thursday.

via Welcome home, boys!| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

DongfengRaceTeam(CharlesCaudrelier/FRA)edgedoverallVolvoOceanRaceleadersAbuDhabiOceanRacing(IanWalker/GBR)byjustthreeminutesand25secondstowinLeg6toNewportafteranenthrallingdueloverthepast24hours(fullreportbelow).-SkipperCaudrelierpraisesshorecrewafterthrillingwin-AbuDhabiOceanRacingwithinfourminutesofvictors-FollowthefinalboatsinonourAppNEWPORT,RhodeIsland,USA(May7)–DongfengRaceTeam(CharlesCaudrelier/FRA)edgedoverallVolvoOceanRaceleadersAbuDhabiOceanRacing(IanWalker/GBR)byjustthreeminutesand25secondstowinLeg6toNewportafteranenthrallingdueloverthepast24hours.TheresultcutstheEmiratiboat’sleadovertheChinese-backedchallengerstosixpointsandmarksafantasticcomebackforCaudrelierandhiscrewaftertheywereforcedtopulloutofthepreviouslegtoItajaíbecauseofabrokenmast.TheFrenchskipperpaidtributetohisshorecrewwhomanagedtofitanewriginunderaweekinBrazilandpreparetheboatforthe5,010-nauticalmile(nm),ultra-competitivenextstagethroughtheAtlantic.“Forthisleg,thegoalwastobereadyinItajaíandthe(shore)crewdidafantasticjob.I’dliketogivethemthevictory,”saidCaudrelier.“I’mveryproudofthemandveryhappytotakethisfirstplace.Theyworkedveryhardtogetthisboatready.I’mreally,reallyhappy.”AbuDhabiOceanRacingmadeCaudrelierandhismenworkallthewayforthewinafter17daysatseaandeventhreatenedtooverturntheirleadastheypassedBlockIsland30nmfromthefinish.“WewerewithinacoupleoflengthsofgettingoverthematBlockIsland-literallythreeorfourboatlengthsfromrollingthem-buttheyheldonanddugdeep.Verywelldeservedwin,”saidWalker.Caudrelier’shopesofbouncingbackforthetriumphhadlookedinseriousjeopardyjusttwodaysintotheleg,whichstartedonApril19,whentheelectronicwater-maker,whichconvertsseawaterintodrinkingwater,brokedown.Hesaidifhiscrewhadnotbeenabletorepairit,theywouldhavehadtomakea12-hourstop.‘Wewouldn’thavehadtoretire,butwewouldhavehadtostopandfixit.Whenyoustopinthisrace,youseethedifferencebetweentheboats,andthatmeansthelegisoverbecauseitmeansyouloseatleast12hours,”saidCaudrelier,whoseboatfinishedinanelapsedtimeof17days,ninehoursandthreeminutesexactlyafterleavingItajaí.“Thatwouldhavemeantanotherlegwherewewouldhavefinishedlast.”DutchchallengersTeamBrunel(BouweBekking/NED)finishedjustover55minutesafterDongfengtoclaimthefinalpodiumspotfollowingyetanotherclosely-foughtleg.ItwillhavebeenabigrelieftoBekkingwhoseboathasbeenpippedinsimilarclosefinishesinearlierlegs.“It’salwaysgoodtobebackonthepodium.Buttheraceislostforus,wehavetotellthepublicaboutthat,becauseAbuDhabihasaninaccessibleleadnowcomparedtous,hesaid.Dongfengstillhasagoodchance.Theysailedanexcellentleg,congratulationstothem.AndtoAbuDhabitoo–theybothsailedverywell.“We’reaimingforsecondandwestillwanttowintheIn-PortSeriesaswell.We’reintheleadoverthere.We’vegotacoupleofthingstosailfor–andofcoursewewanttowinacoupleoflegs.MAPFRE(XabiFernández/ESP)followedTeamBrunelhomeinfourthspotwithanelapsedtimeof17days10hours34minutesand25secondswithTeamAlvimedica(CharlieEnright/USA)headingforahometownwelcomeinfifthplaceaheadofTeamSCA(SamDavies/GBR),whowereexpectedtofinishlateronThursday.Currentlateststandings(lowpointswins,TeamAlvimedica*andTeamSCA*yettofinishLeg6):1)AbuDhabiOceanRacing11pts,2)DongfengRaceTeam17,3)TeamAlvimedica19*,4)TeamBrunel21,5)MAPFRE24,6)TeamSCA29*,7)TeamVestas(Denmark)44.

via Agloriouscomeback|VolvoOceanRace2014-2015.

Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) felt the familiar presence of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) to their stern on Wednesday as the thrilling Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race headed for a potential ‘photo finish’ in Newport, Rhode Island (full story below).

– Dongfeng and Azzam set to battle it out to the finish

– Block Island decision could make or break leaders

– Follow the Leg 6 climax all the way to Newport

ALICANTE, Spain, May 6 – Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) felt the familiar presence of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) to their stern on Wednesday as the thrilling Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race headed for a potential ‘photo finish’ in Newport, Rhode Island.

The Emirati boat, overall race leaders with seven points to spare from Dongfeng, have stuck to Caudrelier’s crew like glue for the last 24 hours.

The arch rivals were still just over 150 nautical miles (nm) from the finish of a 5,010nm stage from Itajaí, Brazil, at 0940 UTC on Wednesday after nearly 17 days of head-to-head racing since setting out on April 19.

Dongfeng Race Team held a narrow 6nm lead, but the final few hours before a probable Thursday morning finish could yet upset their hopes of a second stage victory following their Leg 3 triumph sailing to their home port of Sanya back in late January.

The boats are shortly exiting the Gulf Stream in good winds and will sail into reaching conditions of some 18 knots, the Race’s official meteorologist, Gonzalo Infante, reported on Wednesday.

They will then run into squally conditions, again with gusts of around 18 knots, before the westerly wind which is driving them turns north-east late afternoon/early evening UTC time.

Towards the end of the day, between 2100-2400 UTC, the boats will run into a relative brick wall in the form of a cold front for the last 30nm or so from Block Island onwards.

That could finally split the two – laterally at least – when they opt to go east or west and the decision could make or break either of them.

No wonder, then, that Infante is predicting: “We could be in for a photo finish.”

The three boats behind them – Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED), MAPFRE (Xabi Fernández/ESP) and Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) (see panel above) – were still battling desperately to stay in touch in the hope that either of the front two could make an error in the final straight.

Meanwhile, at the back of the fleet, Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) lost significant ground in the last 24 hours with all hope of a first podium finish seemingly lost.

The mood on board Azzam is of high excitement. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing have already won two legs including the toughest of them all, Leg 5 through the Southern Ocean, and are hungry for another.

Their onboard reporter, Matt Knighton, summed up on Tuesday night: “Right now we need to pull out all the secrets we’ve got. In the breezy downwind conditions of the darkness, they’ve (Dongfeng) managed to sail lower and faster towards the mark and extended to 3nm ahead.

“We’ve found at least 10 rabbits in this magic hat of ours this leg – we just need to find one more.”

The boats will spend 10 days in Newport, hosting the race for the first time, before heading back across the Atlantic to Lisbon in Leg 7 on May 17.

via It could be a ‘photo finish’| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

AMERICA’S CUP: The SoftBank Corp and the Kansai Yacht Club have agreed to challenge for the 2017 America’s Cup.

As SoftBank Team Japan, the team will compete in the 2015 America’s Cup World Series events, and challenge for the 2017 America’s Cup in Bermuda.

The campaign was confirmed on April 30 by Kazuhiko Sofuku, “Fuku”, a veteran of four previous America’s Cup campaigns who has been appointed as the team’s general manager.

“To lead a Japanese challenge for the America’s Cup is a dream come true,” said Fuku, who last raced with a Japanese team for the Cup 15 years ago as bowman for Nippon Challenge during the 1999/2000 Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series.

SoftBank Group representative Masayoshi Son said: “I am thrilled to announce that we will be supporting Team Japan at the America’s Cup.”

SoftBank Team Japan is challenging under the banner of the Kansai Yacht Club, among the most distinguished clubs in the country.

A base level of technical assistance from Oracle Team USA will be provided to SoftBank Team Japan as it prepares for the 2015 America’s Cup World Series events.

“SoftBank Team Japan is a very positive addition to the America’s Cup,” said AC Commercial Commissioner Harvey Schiller. “The Japanese challenge will increase interest in the America’s Cup across Asia which is good news for all of our teams and partners.”

Bermuda Legacy

Following the above press release on April 30 came another release from the AC saying it was to create a legacy for Bermuda and beyond.

But surely we were given a similar promise after the incredibly successful AC34 in San Francisco?

This one seems to have been rather better thought out and boasts input from companies such as North Sails, Hobie Cat, BIC Sport, RS Sailing, Harken, Dynamic Dollies and Racks as well as local partners in Bermuda.

The objective is to launch an ambitious Community Sailing Project, with a focus on leaving a sporting legacy in Bermuda.

The promise from The Top is that the Bermuda Community Sailing project is expected to serve as a blueprint for similar programmes in other cities and countries to be rolled out over the coming years.

Sounds pretty good to us. But at a time when everything else about the AC seems to be about cutting costs, we wonder how much this programme will cost the entrants…

via Boating Business – Japanese entry for AC35.

AMERICA’S CUP: BT Sport has beaten Sky to get the live television rights to broadcast the UK and Ireland America’s Cup races and highlights of the 2017 America’s Cup.

Beginning with the opening races of the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) in Portsmouth on July 25 and 26, BT Sport will offer live coverage of all America’s Cup racing to viewers in the UK and Ireland through to the finals in 2017.

The BBC will carry America’s Cup highlights after acquiring free-to-air broadcast rights for the event.

Highlights from the 2015-16 America’s Cup World Series – including the Portsmouth events – as well as the 2017 America’s Cup Challenger Playoffs and America’s Cup Finals, are included in the BBC agreement for free-to-air broadcast.

With Sir Ben Ainslie leading the UK challenge for the 2017 AC35, the excitement level for this series is likely to be huge.

We understand Sir Keith Mills, one of the top names in the campaign backing Ben Ainslie to win AC35, was highly instrumental in obtaining the AC35 rights.

Other top names behind Mr Ainslie include the Carphone Warehouse co-founder, Sir Charles Dunstone, Oakely Capital’s (and North Sails’) Peter Dubens and Ian Taylor, boss of oil giant Vitol.

Among the sponsors backing Mr Ainslie are Siemens, KPMG and BAE Systems, with help from Red Bull Racing

“Our partnership with BT Sport as our live coverage broadcaster and the BBC for highlights programming means we have an opportunity to reach millions of sailing fans in the UK and Ireland and engage them in the new America’s Cup, which is more dynamic, athletic and spectacular than ever before,” said Harvey Schiller, the commercial commissioner of the America’s Cup.

Under the agreements, BT Sport will broadcast all live stages of the 2015-16 America’s Cup World Series events, being hosted in Portsmouth in July 2015 and again in July 2016, and continuing with events around the world.

The BBC will have highlight programming from the World Series events.

Sir Keith Mills said: “The America’s Cup World Series event taking place in Portsmouth this July will be the first time a British team will compete in an official America’s Cup event in British waters since 1851.

“This is going to be an historic occasion where we expect up to 500,000 people attending the event and, with BT Sport’s support as the exclusively live broadcaster and the BBC showing highlight programming, many millions more will be engaged on TV and online.“

Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport, commented: “The BBC is delighted to be able to offer viewers highlights programming for the next two and a half years of America’s Cup racing.

“We’ve followed Sir Ben Ainslie throughout his brilliant Olympic career and covered his remarkable contribution to the dramatic America’s Cup climax two years ago, so we’re delighted to bring the latest chapter in his career to a wide audience of existing fans and newcomers.”

via Boating Business – BT Sport beats Sky to AC35 coverage.

The Volvo Ocean Race’s only North American stopover in Newport, Rhode Island, was set to open with a fanfare on Tuesday, while less than 500 nautical miles (nm) away at sea, six boats were battling desperately to become the first to join the party (full story below).

– It’s still anyone’s leg to win in Newport

– Rhode Island party for Race Village opening

– Follow the race down to the wire on our great App

ALICANTE, Spain, May 5 – The Volvo Ocean Race’s only North American stopover in Newport, Rhode Island, was set to open with a fanfare on Tuesday, while less than 500 nautical miles (nm) away at sea, six boats were battling desperately to become the first to join the party.

The 2014-15 12th edition is the first in the race’s 41-year history to be contested on one-design boats and it has so far delivered a series of amazingly close leg finishes.

In the previous stage, Leg 5 from Auckland to Itajaí, the first four boats finished within an hour of each other. Leg 6 looks as though it could well end up just as tightly contested all the way to the very last nautical mile, with the first five boats separated by less than 20nm.

Just over 50nm behind the main pack, the women on Team SCA (Sam Davies/GBR) were in the best pressure and making ground fast (see panel above from Tuesday, 0940 UTC).

On Tuesday evening, the boats will be making one last, planned gybe out of a light wind area.

After reasonably wide lateral separations earlier in the 5,010nm leg, the crews do not look like that they are taking any more bold gambits in bids to find favourable winds or currents, and are now tightly bunched and closely monitoring each other.

“It’s a time of minimal risks,” said Volvo Ocean Race official meteorologist, Gonzalo Infante. “I expect pretty simultaneous gybes tonight.”

They will be helped by a reasonably forceful south-westerly wind across the Gulf Stream mid-morning (UTC time) on Wednesday before the final push for home where typically variable winds will keep the crews guessing to the very end.

A latest estimated time of arrival from Race Control in Alicante is around 1500 UTC on Thursday, although there is still plenty of room for change on that.

So who will win? At 0940 UTC on Tuesday, Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) were continuing to guard a 2.1nm lead after sacrificing some of their earlier advantage to return to a position where they could cover the rest of the fleet.

Their pursuers were led by overall race leaders, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR).

The Emirati boat’s dilemma was well summed up by Onboard Reporter, Matt Knighton: “Ian (Walker) has been in a constant state of tension all-day – cover Team Brunel and stay locked into second place or attack Dongfeng if there’s an opportunity.”

The Dutch boat Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) were facing a similar conundrum with MAPFRE (Xabi Fernández/ESP) and Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA) both chasing them hard from astern.

Meanwhile, back in Newport, the atmosphere was already electric in town with a string of VIPs in attendance to officially open the Race Village led by Rhode Island Governor, Gina Raimondo, and Congressman David N. Ciccillini.

For Team Alvimedica, skippered by Rhode Islander Charlie Enright, the pressure to succeed in the race to their home port is almost palpable.

Their onboard reporter, Amory Ross, himself a Newport-based local, wrote on Tuesday: “It has happened so many times in this race, that after thousands and thousands of miles spent crossing this world’s oceans, it is the final hundred or so that decide the outcome.

“As much as we’re already thinking about Newport and how great it will be to get back there, we promise we’re doing our best to prepare for every opportunity we may get between now and then to show how far we’ve come since we last left.”

via Who will take a risk? | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

The Volvo Ocean Race fleet found fair winds rather then the ill fortune of repute as they raced through the Bermuda Triangle in the thrilling Leg 6 race towards Newport, Rhode Island, USA, on Monday (full story below).

– Sailors admit fatigue in relentless ‘grinding of nerves’

– The Bermuda Triangle – a menace or a myth?

– Check out the run-in to Newport on our App

ALICANTE, Spain, May 4 – The Volvo Ocean Race fleet found fair winds rather then the ill fortune of repute as they raced through the Bermuda Triangle in the thrilling Leg 6 race towards Newport, Rhode Island, USA, on Monday. They all have under 1,000 nautical miles (nm) to go.

The six boats had feared a slow-down and fleet compression through an area of low pressure mid-Atlantic in the geographic triangle that separates Bermuda, Costa Rica and Miami, but instead the crews continued virtually unhindered.

Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA), so determined to close the seven-point gap on overall race leaders Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR), continued to hold a slight 7.4nm advantage in the latest position report on Monday (0940 UTC).

Team Brunel (Bouwe Bekking/NED) led the chasing pack with Azzam hot on their heels 3.3nm astern of them (see panel above). The three had opened up a small gap over MAPFRE (Xabi Fernández/ESP), who were having their own dogfight with Team Alvimedica (Charlie Enright/USA), some 17nm behind Ian Walker’s crew.

MAPFRE suffered a brief scare when the boat was knocked down to crash flat on its side, before it swifly righted itself courtesy of swift teamwork among the crew.

Team SCA, to the east of those two packs, were still struggling to keep pace, some 82.9nm behind Dongfeng.

The six boats are expected to escape the Bermuda Triangle later in the day and then face one last major gybe on Tuesday evening before the final sprint for the finish line after an absorbing 5,010nm leg.

Many of the sailors have been admitting that the relentless close quarter sailing of six well-matched crews on identical Volvo Ocean 65 boats is beginning to take its toll on nerves and body alike after seven months at sea.

Charles Caudrelier, skipper of the stage leaders Dongfeng Race Team, summed up: “According to the clouds and narrow corridors of wind, we have good and bad phases. It grinds down the nerves. The one-design (boat) has totally changed the regatta on the water.”

At the other end of the fleet, Sam Davies, of Team SCA, is equally feeling the pace. “I feel like the last seven months of racing is taking its toll on my body and I am trying to play catch-up in order to be able to do my job properly,” she wrote. “This racing is a crazy life.”

The boats are forecasted to arrive in Newport on May 7 after 17 days of sailing from Itajaí, Brazil. They will then have 10 days in dock for maintenance before setting off for the final transatlantic crossing to Lisbon, Portugal.

There are then two more legs taking in France (Lorient), The Netherlands (The Hague) and Sweden, with the race concluding on June 27 in Gothenburg after nine months of racing.

via Feeling the pace | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.