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3:12 AM Thu 23 Apr 2009 GMT
Following the Leg 4 weather analysis by meteo expert Chris Tibbs, the Portim?o Global Ocean Race teams shared their thoughts about the forthcoming 4,800 mile section of the circumnavigation from Ilhabela, Brazil, to Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
Asked for his overall strategy for Leg 4, Boris Herrmann, co-skipper of Beluga Racer, answered in typical style: 'To win.' Wearing a deadpan expression that flickers somewhere between irony and intent, Herrmann outlined his plan: 'If we don't eat or sleep or carry any books, we can do this.' Herrmann and his co-skipper, Felix Oehme, took first place in Legs 1 & 2 and took highest points at each of the scoring gates in the first three legs, but were denied Leg 3 victory in a last minute finish line scramble with the Chilean duo of Felipe Cubillos and Jos? Mu?oz on Desafio Cabo de Hornos. 'We have just two legs to finish the story,' continues Herrmann. 'The Chileans are getting to know their boat and they are really strong in close reaching at a 90? True Wind Angle.'
On a beam reach, the German's Marc Lombard-designed Akilaria is at a disadvantage when compared to the beamy, Guillaume Verdier Design Chilean Class 40. 'It's their sweet spot and a weak spot for us,' admits Herrmann. 'When it's light, there's no major difference and upwind we are slightly better maybe,' he adds cautiously. 'So, I hope we have light winds as much as possible, then build up a substantial lead in the Doldrums. Around 100 miles or so would be enough, then match their speed when we hit the Trade Winds.' Co-skipper, Felix Oehme is in total agreement: 'We're expecting calm winds until the Doldrums. Then afterwards, the winds will be for the Chilean team, so we want to gain the maximum before the ITCZ [Intertropical Convergence Zone], then keep ahead.'
Having been nailed heavily by the southerly flowing Brazil Current flowing offshore the Latin American coast in Leg 3, Jeremy Salvesen and David Thomson of Team Mowgli are determined not to be caught again. 'Most of the tactical opportunities are going to be playing the currents as much as the weather,' says Salvesen. 'A lot of those currents are much stronger closer to the coast and that's going to be a very different style of sailing for us than the big, long, Southern Ocean legs.' There is also the likelihood of commercial traffic as the Portim?o fleet pass oil platforms north of Ilhabela and fishing fleets with shipping lanes feeding the Caribbean and Eastern American Seaboard. 'We haven't sailed in areas where there will be heavy traffic, so we will have to be on deck much more.' For co-skipper David Thomson, the early section of the race north towards Cape Frio is vital if the Chilean team are to be prevented from reaching away from the fleet. 'Traditionally, it's usually light winds up to the knuckle of Brazil,' says Thomson, well aware that their Akilaria may suffer like the German Class 40 in the Trade Winds. 'That's where we have to make the gains.'
For Felipe Cubillos and Jos? Mu?oz, the last minute Leg 3 victory on Desafio Cabo de Hornos has broken the points stranglehold held by the German team on Beluga Racer.
'Our goal is to be ahead of the British and ahead of the Germans and win the next leg,' says Cubillos. In the current leader board standings, the Chilean team have 29.5 points with the German team in overall first place with 34 points. With two more legs and two more scoring gates remaining, if Cubillos and Mu?oz can take all the gate points and leg, Desafio Cabo de Hornos will win the Portim?o Global Ocean Race overall by 0.5 points. 'We will try and keep them in sight like we did at the beginning of the last leg,' continues Cubillos.
In light airs, the Portim?o fleet were parked within shouting distance in the early stages of the race through the Pacific Ocean. 'It is only because we enjoy very much sailing together with them,' chuckles the Chilean skipper. 'We can share chocolate and beers.' Humour aside, the bright red Class 40 has proven to be no slouch in light winds. 'I think the first one who reaches the Trade Winds first will be the winner,' predicts Cubillos. 'It is a very tactical leg and there's a trade off. If you take the short route inshore close to the Brazilian coast the wind will be lighter and further offshore the wind will be stronger. So anyone who can find the right spot somewhere in the middle will be the winner.'
The fleet's solo sailor, Michel Kleinjans, will have no impact upon the double-handed rankings, but his ultra-light Open 40 will be mixing in with the Class 40s in all conditions. 'We could be within sight of each other from Ilhabela to Cape Frio,' believes the Belgian offshore sailor. 'We could easily be overtaking or being overtaken regularly.' The key point that all the competitors agree upon are the North East Trade Winds. 'But once after the Doldrums, it is more or less a straight line reaching all the way to Charleston,' says Kleinjans. 'It will be a matter of boat speed and Felipe should be good at this.'
www.portimaoglobaloceanrace.com
by Oliver Dewar
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