John Cook, owner of the English Cristabella boat saga, and one of the most loyal fans and participants of the MedCup Circuit, passed away in late April after a long struggle with a disease that eventually took him away, despite him being a born fighter, as he demonstrated both on land and at sea.

The memory of the Cristabella saga and its owner John Cook will remain forever linked to the sea, the Mediterranean, the TP52 class, and the MedCup Circuit. The TP52 Cristabella was part of the fleet which started off the competition in 2005, and remained faithful to it, taking part in almost all its events, until she had to leave due to her owner’s health problems, the same that would finally cause him to pass away in late April.

English by birth, Cook ran under the flag of the Real Club Náutico de Palma, and was a “classic” sailor. In fact, the TP52 Cristabella was easily recognizable not only by her white hull and blue letters, but by her rudder wheel, which had not been replaced by the tiller, as it had already happened onboard the whole MedCup Circuit fleet in recent years.

John Cook’s is indeed an irreparable loss to the world of sailing, but his name will live on in the history of racing in the Mediterranean.

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St. George’s Day Pilot Cutters Cup shown in images by Barry James Wilson as he rode on the Pilot Cutter Amelie Rose  for the race.

 

 

 

Overall Results

ID	SAIL NO	NAME	R 1	R 2	R 3	TOTAL	DSCRD	FINAL	POSITION
1		Jolie Brise	1	1		2		2	1
1		Merlin	2	4		6		6	2
1		Annabel J	4	3		7		7	3
1		Polly Agatha	6	2		8		8	4
1		Amelie Rose	3	5		8		8	5

 

Images By Barry James Wilson

Traditional boats like Amelie Rose have a very different feeling about them than modern boats. Both when they’re under way, where their weight gives them a superb motion through the sea, but also when you’re down below where it feels like a big wooden hug!

 

 

 

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With this morning’s confirmation of Gold Coast Australia’s eighth victory during the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race, the battle for the final podium positions for Race 10, from Oakland to Panama.

“I am ecstatic with my crew’s performance in light fickle winds and extreme heat,” reveals Gold Coast Australia skipper, Richard Hewson, after his team crossed the finish line at 0844 UTC.

 “Gold Coast Australia sailed like true professionals over the past few days making the most of wind shifts and squeezing every drop of speed that Gold Coast Australia had to offer.

“I would like to congratulate the other yachts on their performance in such challenging conditions. The last few hours of the race dolphins guided us towards the finish line as we left a long trail of phosphorescence in our wake making it a near perfect finish,” continues Richard.
 
On Saturday, the Race Committee sent every skipper of the ten-strong fleet revised instructions for Race 10 which contained an anticipated shortening to the course.

“The Clipper Race Committee, chaired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, shortened the course for Race 10 by selecting one of the pre-existing gates within the Course Instructions as the new finish line,” explains Race Director Joff Bailey.

“This line is perpendicular to the route and is long enough so that it does not adversely affect any team tactics.
 
“The Race Committee has taken this decision after it was advised by the Panama Canal Authorities that there would be shutdown period on the Panama Canal locks over the coming weeks and the lighter than expected wind strengths on this section of the race and the need to maintain the overall race schedule.”

Further to Saturday’s developments and after careful assessment of each team’s position the Race Committee decided yesterday (Monday) evening to finish the back markers of the fleet; Derry-Londonderry, Geraldton Western Australia, Singapore, New York, Qingdao and Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, using one of the earlier mandatory gates.

Derry-Londonderry beat Geraldton Western Australia to fifth place with just four minutes separating the two teams, while seventh and eighth place were secured by Singapore and New York respectively with Qingdao grabbing ninth place ahead of Edinburgh Inspiring Capital.

With Gold Coast Australia claiming victory the race for the final remaining positions of Race 10 are still up for grabs as Welcome to Yorkshire, De Lage Landen and Visit Finland continue to battle it out.
 
“We’re very excited about coming up to the finish line,” reports De Lage Landen, skipper Stuart Jackson.

“We have enjoyed the enthralling cat and mouse race we have been having with Visit Finland, Welcome to Yorkshire and Gold Coast Australia. Our thoughts will soon be turning to Panama and transiting the canal, a first for all on board.  In the meantime the final push is on to make sure our position is maintained for the next few hours.”

Hoping to come out on top in the final drag race to the line is Welcome to Yorkshire’s skipper, Rupert Dean.

“The suspense is palpable as Welcome to Yorkshire approaches the finish line. With just three yachts left in the race, precious little separation exists between De Lage Landen, Visit Finland and Welcome to Yorkshire.
 
“At the 0000 UTC report, Welcome to Yorkshire had taken third position from Visit Finland, by virtue of the stronger winds found in her southerly position. Can she do the same to De Lage Landen?”

After securing seventh place, Singapore skipper, Ben Bowley, is more than pleased with his crew’s performance.

“We had excellent breeze throughout the night which was a welcome respite from the windless day we’d endured yesterday. We made good progress thanks to this, and accurate trimming and helming, with the crew maintaining its focus throughout.
 
“Spirits rose considerably when we discovered that we were sixth after the other yachts (apart from
Welcome to Yorkshire) came out of Stealth Mode, and the sight of New York astern of us was a real boost to morale,” continues Ben.

“Both watches redoubled their efforts and gradually we watched New York recede into the horizon. 

“The email from the Race Office announcing that we had finished, and that we were seventh, was greeted with jubilation when it came in – and not a moment too soon as the wind almost as if on cue dropped away.
 
“After our time in tenth place and the struggles we had with the heat and windless conditions we are all pretty pleased to have kept going and got into seventh, and feel rewarded for our efforts.”
 
Gareth Glover, skipper of New York, was hoping to reduce the gap between his team and their Singapore rivals but had to settle with equalling their points haul for Race 10.

“After winning the Ocean Sprint we will come out of this race on the same points as Singapore, which will help on the overall standings. We now don’t need eight people for each watch and have put in a three watch system whist we are motoring and the next five days to Panama will be filled with maintenance and cleaning.
 
“After ourselves and Singapore went further north to pick up more wind we managed to overtake Edinburgh Inspiring Capital and Qingdao, but we were unable to hold off Singapore in the last six hours and in the night they just got a little more wind and crossed the line less than a few hours after 15 days of racing.

It was a photo finish in the battle for fifth place as Derry-Londonderry crossed the finish line just four minutes ahead of Geraldton Western Australia.

“A very good result, bearing in mind that we had slipped way back to tenth (from second) and fought our way back up in light and fluky wind conditions!” explains Mark Light, skipper of Derry-Londonderry.
 
“Now our concentration is switched to getting our boat safely and efficiently into Panama all ready for our transit thro the canal from the Pacific Ocean and into the Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean)…yet another milestone!”

After a furious fight to the line Geraldton Western Australia, skippered by Juan Coetzer, had to settle for sixth place after a valiant fight with the Northern Ireland entry.

“After a slow days sailing and a beautiful sunset, the wind disappeared again. We sat stationary with our sails just flapping from side to side,” reports Juan.
 
“We even got the wind seeker out. Eventually some breeze filled in and we got ready to hoist a kite. ‘Ready on the bow, Ready at mast, Ready on sheets- Hoist away…..Aah that looks like the heavyweight… oops.’”
 
“So down came the heavyweight and up went the lightweight kite. Soon enough we were gliding through the water again. The race was shortened today and we reckon it may have been a photo finish; we were about 70 miles south of Derry-Londonderry.
 
“So engine checks were done, sails lowered and then we notice a bird sitting on the mast light. So Ian Geraghty was sent up to scare the bird away. This bird had some attitude and would not budge, but after some encouraging words, it flew away.”

The first teams are expected to reach Panama later this week where they will await their slot to pass through the canal before commencing Race 11 to New York.

 Positions at 1200 UTC, Tuesday 1 May 2012
 
Boat                      
1 Gold Coast Australia                    Finished
2 Welcome to Yorkshire                   Racing
3 De Lage Landen                             Racing
4 Visit Finland                                    Racing
5 Derry-Londonderry                     Finished
6 Geraldton Western Australia   Finished
7 Singapore                                        Finished
8 New York                                         Finished
9 Qingdao                                            Finished
10 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital     Finished

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Fresh from record crowds and success in Naples, Italy, the America’s Cup World Series heads to Venice, Italy, for the penultimate regatta in the inaugural AC World Series. Racing takes place from May 15 to 20 and is part of a festival of sailing over nine days from May 12 to 20. The race course is one of the narrowest and most challenging in competitive sailing.

Having just won their first regatta in front of home country fans, first-time competitor Luna Rossa Challenge (Italy) anticipates tough competition in Venice.  “Naples showed us that any of the teams can win on any given day,” said Luna Rossa’s skipper Max Sirena. “The racing is so close that you can’t afford to be off the pace for even one race or you will fall down the leader-board. Venice will be exceptionally tight putting a premium on boat-handling.”

More than 500,000 fans turned out during the week’s racing in Naples to watch the regatta. 70 hours of live coverage was broadcast globally, while over 350 media were accredited on site to cover the event, resulting in coverage in more than 850 media outlets.

Although Luna Rossa Challenge won the fleet racing competition, and Artemis Racing prevailed in the match racing in Naples, ORACLE Racing Spithill is now the AC World Series overall point leader overtaking Emirates Team New Zealand by just 1 point.

Venice will produce the narrowest race course yet at any AC World Series venue, and the backdrop to the racing will be the entrance to the Grand Canal, the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Square.

“The magnificent waterways of Venice and its stunning Grand Canal will provide an exceptional arena for the AC45s,” said Regatta Director Iain Murray. “The mix of courses and the tricky winds will provide more challenging racing than ever.”

Event preparations are well underway in what will be a spectacular venue. “Venice has a great maritime heritage and we look forward to welcoming the world’s best sailors to our waters,” said Venice Mayor Giorgio Orsoni.

The racing area includes spectator access along numerous points on the waterfront, including the team bases in the Venetian Arsenal. Dating back to the 1100s, Arsenale di Venezia was originally a shipyard and naval depot, providing a uniquely historic home base for the world’s top sailors throughout the event.

The innovative regatta format includes a mix of speed trials, head-to-head match racing, and all-out fleet racing with identical AC45s on the line. The forerunner to the next generation of America’s Cup boats, the AC45 wing-sailed catamaran is the official boat of the AC World Series. While capable of closing speeds more than 35 mph, the AC45 remains nimble enough to handle the tight, tactical race course.

Racing Program and Schedule

The ACWS Venice Race Village opens to the public on Saturday May 12. The City of Venice will host an invitational event “the City of Venice Regatta” over the opening weekend. America’s Cup teams are invited to compete, but the results will not count toward the ACWS Venice scoring.

America’s Cup World Series racing begins on Tuesday, May 15, and runs through Sunday, May 20.

Racing will be held from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. alternatively on two courses: one in the open sea, in front of San Nicolo del Lido (the Lido Race Course), and one in the lagoon (the San Marco Race Course), between the island of Lido, the basin San Marco and Punta della Dogana.

The event will feature nine boats from seven countries, including: Artemis Racing (Sweden), skipper Terry Hutchinson; China Team (China), skipper Fred Le Peutrec; Emirates Team New Zealand (New Zealand), skipper Dean Barker; Energy Team (France), helmsman Loïck Peyron; Luna Rossa Challenge (Italy), with two boats, helmsmen Chris Draper and Paul Campbell-James; ORACLE Racing (USA) with two boats, skippers James Spithill and Darren Bundock; and Team Korea (Korea) with skipper Nathan Outteridge.

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With just over 10 days until the start of the second annual 2012 Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing.  Teams from France, England, USA and Germany are all slated to be on the start line for what will be the largest fleet of Class 40s ever to race in the United States.

As previously announced, the Atlantic Cup will feature one of the largest prize purses for sailing in the U.S. ($30,000) and will be the first “eco-friendly” competition of its kind, using biodiesel and hydro generators to limit the use of fuel during the competition and eliminating single-use plastic bottles in its hospitality villages.

Manuka Sports Event Management Founder and Atlantic Cup Race Director, Hugh Piggin, commented:
“The growth we are seeing for the 2012 Atlantic Cup is terrific. This year’s race is going to be an extremely tough and challenging competition for everyone involved. For the fans it will provide some of the best short-handed sailing the United States has ever seen. If you will be in Charleston, New York or Newport you will not want to missseeing this many Class 40 boats lining up against each other. And just likelast year we will provide up to the minute tracking and updates from all boats via our website and facebook page, making it easy to follow the Atlantic Cup whenever and wherever you may be.”

Competition Schedule:
· May 11 – Depart Charleston, South Carolina, for double-handed (two people on board) 645 nautical miles from Charleston to New York Harbor, New York around the challenging Cape Hatteras
· May 18 – Compete in a one day Pro-Am race in New York Harbor
· May 19 – Depart New York Harbor with double-handed 260 nautical miles from New York to Newport
· May 26 – Two days inshore fully crewed (six people on board) buoy racing held over the weekend of May 26 in Newport, RI
· May 27 – Event finish – party and prize giving at Newport Shipyard

 

Teams that have announced their entry into the Atlantic Cup include:

#17 – Transport Cohérence -  FRA Benoît Jouandet  and Jorge Madden

#109 – TALAN-Bureau Veritas – FRA – Stephane Le Diraison  and Jesse Naimark-Rowse

#30 – Initiatives – GBR  Emma Creighton  and Rob Windsor

#105- EOLE GENERATION – GDF SUEZ -  FRA Sebastien Rogues and Jeffrey MacFarlane

#101- Campagne de France – FRA  Miranda Merron  and Halvard Mabire
#90 – 40 Degrees – GBR  Hannah Jenner and Peter Harding
#73 – Toothface – USA Mike Dreese and Ken Luczynski
#85 – Groupe Picoty – FRA Jacques Fournier and Jean Christophe “JC” Caso
#109 – Masai – FRA Stephane Le Diraison
#113 – Partouch – FRA Christophe Coatnoan
#115 – Mare – GER Jorg Riechers and Marc Lepesquex

#54 – Dragon – USA Michael Hennessy and Christopher Museler
#106 – Gryphon Solo 2 – USA Joe Harris and Tristan Mouligne
#116 – Icarus Racing – USA Tim Fetsch and Ben Poucher
#118 – Bodacious Dream – USA Dave Rearick and Matt Scharl

The English entry 40 Degrees will be skippered by the accomplished short-handed sailors Peter Harding and Hannah Jenner. Harding started sailing at the age of 16, but jumped into short-handed racing in 2007 and has since completed 4 trans-Atlantic races and placed in the top ten in 13 Class40 races on 40 Degrees. The only female to skipper the Clipper Around the World Race and a third place finish in the 2011 Transat Jacques Vabre, Hannah Jenner is considered to be one of the top female short-handed skippers in world.
When asked about what she thinks the toughest aspect of the Atlantic Cup will be, Jenner stated: “The Atlantic Cup presents a great variety of challenges for us. The combination of inshore and offshore racing,interesting weather patterns, ocean currents and intense competition will keep us on our toes. The stages of this race allow interaction between teams shore side and of course make for a great social as well as sporting event. We are very much looking forward to the Atlantic Cup.”

Team Groupe Picoty is made up of two skippers who combined have completed 12 trans-atlantic crossings. Jacques Fournier, formally the Class40 president, is teaming up with Jean-Christophe “JC” Caso. Caso is known for being an expert technician and has managed four Vendee Globe projects since1996 and was one of the shore crew for Brad VanLiew’s 1st place finish in the 2010/11 Velux Five Oceans Race.
JC Caso expressed his excitement for racing in the U.S.: “Jacques and I are looking forward to be in Uncle SAM territory, and take part in the ATLANTIC CUP! It’s definitely a pleasure to see some class 40s for a departure in Charleston, the race is gonna be really tactical on the east coast up to Newport via New York. We think all the crews will give their best to win; it will be a nice fight on the water and a nice cultural exchange with all the international crews. (ouahhhh big parties)!!!!!!!!”

French native, Christophe Coatnoan skipper of Partouch has been competitively sailing for over 14 years. In 2007, Coatnoan won the Morgan Cup and this past fall he completed his second Transat Jacques Vabre finishing 8th.This will be his first appearance in the Atlantic Cup.
Christophe Coatnoan had this to say on the appeal of theAtlantic Cup, “The 2012 Atlantic Cup is perfectly integrated into the schedule as it is set between two Transats: Transat Jacques Vabre and Quebec St Malo. This winter, I was able to race the West Indies, and then keep the boat quietly in Charleston. The course is a key asset of the Atlantic Cup as well, because of Charleston to Newport, via NY, all these places have a feel of legend for us Europeans. Finally, this race will give us the opportunity to meet with the U.S. Class40 teams.”

About The 2012 Atlantic Cup
The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing is adedicated professional Class 40 race held annually in the U.S. with a focus on running an environmentally responsible event. The 2012 edition of the Atlantic Cup starts Friday, May 11th in Charleston, South Carolina and will showcase the top Class 40 sailors in the world as they race a 648 nautical mile off-shore leg double-handed from Charleston around the infamous, Cape Hatteras then north to New York City. Once in New York there will be a brief stopover before competitors start the coastal leg of the race. The coastal leg will take competitors along the same course as the 2011 race: 260 nautical miles, south out of New York to a turning mark off the New Jersey coast before heading north to Newport. Once in Newport, competitors will race a two-day, inshore series with a crew of six. The combined overall winner of both stages will be the Atlantic Cup Champion. The prize purse will be $30,000, making it again one of the largest purses for sailing in the United States.

Quick Facts
· Presented by 11th Hour Racing
o 11th Hour Racing’s establishes a dynamic new platform for public education about the responsible use of energy and resources in the context of an exciting recreational and competitive sport. The use of hydro-generators and bio-diesel in the boats competing in the Atlantic Cup is a direct result of 11th Hour’s commitment to the environment.
· Atlantis Weather Gear is the official apparel provider
· The Newport Shipyard is the official Newport home of the Atlantic Cup
· Boomer Esiason Foundation is the Atlantic Cup’s Official Charitable Partner
· Run under Sailors for the Sea ‘Clean Regattas guidelines
o Using canteen water bottles on the boats while racing and set up and maintain water filling stations during the event
o Using environmentally friendly cleaning products on all boats
o Recycling at all sites during the race
o Recycling by all boats when completing the off-shore and in-shore portion of the race
o Using biodegradable plastic throughout the race including at pre and post-race parties and dinners
o Using 100% post-consumer recycled paper for all event packets
o Organizing a green team to maintain a trash-free site at both hospitality events
o Preventing discharge of untreated sewage or black water in harbor areas and on race courses throughout the event
o Asking all race participants to use water only when washing down their boats during the course of the regatta
· Open to Class40 boats
· $30,000 prize purse
· Depart Charleston, South Carolina May 11, 2012
· Race double-handed 645nm from Charleston to New York
· One day of Pro-Am racing held May 18, 2012 in New York Harbor
· Depart New York Harbor May 19, 2012
· Race double-handed 260nm from New York to Newport
· Two days inshore fully crewed buoy racing held over the weekend of May 26 in Newport, RI
· Finish Party and prize giving in Newport at Newport Shipyard on May 27

History of The Atlantic Cup
Having sailed professionally and worked on some of the biggest sporting events in the world, the creators of The Atlantic Cup have watched professional sailing grow in popularity around the world, however interest has not been as strong in the United States. They realized that professional sailing in the United States has remained a secondary sport largely because there is a lack of races that are sponsor driven, have mass media attention, professional competitors and award prizemoney. The organizers of The Atlantic Cup, therefore, came together to fill the void and create a top-level premier sailing race in the United States. The goal is to produce hard fought, intense sailing competitions featuring the top U.S. and international short-handed sailors. The races will be surrounded by entertaining, engaging events that will engage the casual fan’s interest and grow a new generation of sailing fans and enthusiasts.

 

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At 15:00 GMT on Monday, the Global Ocean Race (GOR) fleet leaders Conrad Colman and Scott Cavanough on Cessna Citation were gradually picking up speed with less than 100 miles to the finish line in Charleston as the main trio of Class40s dig into the Gulf Stream.

Leading the pursuing pack in second place, Marco Nannini and Sergio Frattaruolo on Financial Crisis held a 62-mile lead over the South African duo on Phesheya-Racing – a gain of around 20 miles since Sunday afternoon – and were averaging the best speed in the fleet at 10.5 knots on Monday. “We’re pleased with how things have gone in the past two days after the tactical move to cover Phesheya,” confirmed Nannini on Monday morning. “We now feel a little more in control of our destiny,” he adds.

However, with weather files predicting a loss of wind, the remaining 215 miles could present a fresh set of tactical options: “The wind is progressively decreasing, so we hope the finale won’t be too much of a light winds struggle,” says Nannini. At 15:00 GMT on Wednesday, Nannini and Frattaruolo were 106 miles NE of Grand Bahama and 200 miles off the east coast of Florida. “We’re heading north-west, a little left of the direct route, in anticipation of the rotation of the wind and hoping to find the favourable flow of the Gulf Stream to help us run fast along the American coast,” he explains.

Meanwhile, on Phesheya-Racing, Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire had slowed to just under seven knots on Monday afternoon with their speed averages dropping gradually from over ten knots earlier in the morning.  “We’ve caught up 125 miles on Cessna and 131 on Financial Crisis,” reported Hutton-Squire on Monday morning, but the pressure from Van Vuuren and Beusker in fourth place is relentless. “We’ve lost 165 miles to Sec Hayai due to their incredible speeds and they have shadowed us like our reflection on the water.”

On Monday afternoon, the Dutch duo of Erik van Vuuren and Yvonne Beusker on Sec. Hayai continued to close in on Phesheya-Racing taking an extra 30 miles from their lead in 24 hours and trailing the South Africans by 56 miles on Monday afternoon. While Leggatt and Hutton-Squire keep a close eye on the Dutch, progress is still slowed by repeated entanglement with weed: “We sailed into a field of Sargasso Weed slowing the boat, clogging the hydrogenerator and jamming the rudders,” says Hutton-Squire. Putting on head torches, the duo investigated the extent of the entrapment. “We pulled the hydrogenerator up and found that the prop was jammed with weed,” she explains. “In the dark, Nick leant over the back of the boat with the boat hook to try and free the weed and this is when he discovered a fishing net caught in the weed.”

At sunrise, Leggatt and Hutton-Squire could get a better idea of the extent of the weed they were trailing: “I sailed dead downwind, slowing the boat and Nick was able to check the rudders and clear more weed,” continues Hutton-Squire. “We checked the keel through the peep hole in the hull next to the chart table and discovered more weed, but we decided that it wasn’t enough weed to stop the boat for.”

GOR leaderboard 15:00 GMT 30/4/12:
1.    Cessna Citation DTF 91.7 6.1kts
2.    Financial Crisis DTL 215 10.5kts
3.    Phesheya-Racing DTL 277 6.7kts
4.    Sec. Hayai DTL 333 9.4kts

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Leg 6 leaders PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG have today bought themselves some valuable miles against their closest challengers, Team Telefónica and CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, after the chasing duo closed to within two miles yesterday.

PUMA made the best of a move by the top three boats towards the Brazilian coast over the last 24 hours, picking up assistance from northerly currents and a zone of wind acceleration closer to the shore to pull out a lead of 30 nautical miles (nm) at 1000 UTC today over second placed Telefónica.

After spending most of Sunday with their hearts in their mouths watching both CAMPER and Telefónica close them down, the PUMA crew — headed by American skipper Ken Read — saw their speed rocket close to 20 knots after passing the latitude of Fortaleza to the north east of Brazil.

PUMA crossed the Equator at 0840 UTC — their fourth and final crossing of this edition of the race — and must now protect their lead through the Doldrums, a band of fickle breezes located around 100 nm north.

Telefónica and CAMPER both crossed the Equator at 0910 UTC in second and third respectively.

Back in fourth, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing crossed the Equator at 1155 UTC having closed to within just over 40 nm of CAMPER despite sailing in different breezes for most of the last few days.

Skipper Ian Walker said that with around 100 nm to run to the Doldrums the Emirati team were preparing themselves “for a bit of action later today.”

“It’s been a difficult day or two,” Walker said. “We just generally seem to be sailing in less wind than everyone else.

“We made quite a nice gain towards the end of yesterday on CAMPER and Telefónica so we’re just trying to hang on to them as best we can and hope something opens up.”

Walker said he hoped to be able to make further gains to get within striking distance of the leaders later in the leg when the fleet will engage in a 1,000 nm trade wind drag race to the Caribbean.

“Generally we’re losing a couple of miles per sked but then we’re always in a lot less wind. Hopefully we’ll have made up that distance in the next few days,” he said.

With any Doldrums crossing generally throwing up opportunities for the boats playing catch up, Walker said he was hopeful of making gains on the leaders soon after the Equator.

“All we have to go on is models and satellite pictures which might not necessarily tell the right story,” Walker said. “It’s still the Doldrums, there could still be a period of the boats slowing down and a lot of storm activity depending on what time of the day you get there.

“I’m sure something’s going to happen but relative to the Doldrums we’ve seen in the race so far it looks reasonably inactive. Maybe we’ll just sail straight through and hook into the north east trades and be off.

“We’ve got to prepare for anything,” Walker said.

At 1300 UTC today PUMA’s lead was 31 nm over second placed Team Telefónica who were 9 nm ahead of CAMPER in third.

Abu Dhabi remained in fourth 48 nm behind CAMPER with Franck Cammas’ Groupama sailing team in fifth, 142 nm off the lead.

The leading boats are expected to complete Leg 6 from Itajaí to Miami on or around May 9.

 DTL DTLC BS DTF
1   PUMA 0.00  0 19.2 2612.1
2   TELE 30.70  1 19.6 2642.8
3   CMPR 39.70  4 18.1 2651.8
4   ADOR 86.50  10 15.8 2698.6
5   GPMA 141.70  14 14.6 2753.7
-   SNYA Did Not Start

 

 

Nick Dana/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race
Sunrise onboard Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing during leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Itajai, Brazil, to Miami, USA.
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Diego Fructuoso/Team Telefonica/Volvo Ocean Race
Bowman Zane Gills adjusting the sail, onboard Team Telefonica during leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Itajai, Brazil, to Miami, USA.
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Hamish Hooper/CAMPER ETNZ/Volvo Ocean Race
Full crew weight aft in a tight battle with Team Telefonica, onboard CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand during leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Itajai, Brazil, to Miami, USA.
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