Review 2014-15

Leg 5
Auckland - Itajaí

6,776 nautical miles

Preview

Leg start: Due to the possibility of a developing supercyclone, the decision has been made that the boats will now leave Auckland at 09:00 (NZDT) on Wednesday March 18 (20:00 UTC Tuesday March 17). Check this page for the latest info.

 

Race meteorologist Gonzalo Infante:

Strong winds, deep waves, freezing temperatures and albatrosses – this leg is made of all the Southern Ocean clichés. To make it across the Roaring Forties in one piece before rounding Cape Horn and sailing along the South American coast is an achievement in itself.

The start from Auckland can be dangerous if a tropical system drifts south and gets into a powerful low pressure with strong north winds. One of the leg's most dangerous situations is the presence of ice and there will be ice limits in the sailing instructions. But by staying north of the most southern latitudes, a tropical system is very likely to be on your route and you’ll have to sail in strong easterlies – that would be the worst scenario.

Low pressures travel so fast in the South Pacific that they have a big impact on the sea state. The swell has no fixed direction and it’s difficult to direct your boat to preserve it. Temperatures are freezing down there and relative humidity is close to 100%. Everything is full of water!

Another big thing is obviously the approach to Cape Horn. There are around 500 miles between the Cape and the northern tip of Antarctica. Worst case is the northwesterly wind because the Andes physical situation increases its strength by more than 100%.

After the Horn comes the return to civilisation, which means returning to an aggressive strategy at short and medium ranges. Most frequently you want to stay as much time as possible into the westerlies by staying close to the Argentinean coast, before getting into the variable weather related to the South Atlantic High.

Getting closer to Brazil and Florianopolis, thunderstorms appear and threaten the fleet until the arrival in Itajaí.

Review

7,200nm = 55min

It’s been long – over 7,200 nautical miles sailed from New Zealand to Brazil. 

It’s been rough – Dongfeng’s mast even broke, forcing the team to retire from the leg.

It’s been physically and mentally challenging – three teams endured Chinese gybes and most suffered equipment failures. 

It’s been very tight, too. On Sunday, April 5, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing finally took the line honours, with MAPFRE in second and Team Alvimedica in third, 1min 16 seconds ahead of Team Brunel.

Two days later, on Tuesday, April 7, Team SCA’s arrival brought Leg 5 to an end. Here’s a look back at these three weeks of offshore adventure and incredible racing.

In the wake of Pam

First, a natural disaster. Cyclone Pam forced the race organisers to delay the leg start. Instead of Sunday, March 15 as initially planned, the boats left Auckland on Wednesday, March 18, at 0900 NZDT (Tuesday March 17, 2000 UTC). 

“This is a cyclone which has killed many people, and created a total disaster with fatalities in some amazing islands that we just raced through north of New Zealand,” explained race CEO Knut Frostad at the time.

“It’s not just a weather system, we’re talking about a natural disaster. For me, as a race organiser, I would never even consider starting in that cyclone."

24 hours later, the fleet reached the remnants of Pam. The breeze was strong and the sea state, terrible – proving it was definitely the right call to delay the start.

“Wind speed is around 30 knots right now and we’re doing around 20-22,” reported Matt Knighton from Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing on March 19. “It’s very bumpy onboard and loud from the waves crashing on deck. A few bouts of seasickness – we’re getting banged around just trying to take a leak.”

In fact, according to the race doctor Pablo Diaz, a third of the sailors were seasick by then.

Soon enough though, conditions got easier and the fleet started heading southeast towards the ice limit. In the lead: Team Alvimedica.

Along the ice limit

Once they fell off the tail of Cyclone Pam, all teams looked for the fastest way to reach the ice limit.

Race Management placed this virtual line to protect the fleet from the ice drifting in the Southern Ocean – all boats must leave it to starboard.

It’s been moved three times in Leg 5 in reaction to the ice movements.

As the fleet reached the ice limit for the first time on March 25, they also sailed past Point Nemo, the most remote place in the whole world, known as the Pole of Inaccessibility. That’s also the time Dongfeng Race Team took the lead, sailing south and right next to the limit.

A gybing match ensued, with a manoeuvre every hour or so. That included some unwanted manoeuvres, too. Three teams went through a Chinese gybe – Team SCA, Dongfeng Race Team and MAPFRE.

By March 28, all boats were finally on one same tack, heading towards a rock they were dreaming of – Cape Horn.

 

Who sailed on Leg 5? Download crew lists

 

Rounding Cape Horn

Conditions were ideal to approach the southern tip of America, with northwesterly winds blowing 30 knots and the sea state being “relatively” flat with 2.5 to 3-metre waves.

In fact, the Emirati boat covered 550.842nm in 24 hours on March 30. This is the record so far in this race, and one that makes Azzam the winner of Leg 5 IWC speed challenge record.

March 30 was a fast day, but a bad one for Dongfeng Race Team who broke their mast. The Chinese team then headed to Ushuaia to assess the damage.

Later on, skipper Charles Caudrelier would announce their official retirement from the leg, and the delivery of the boat under jury rig by a reduced crew. 

The following day, the first four boats rounded Cape Horn, Team Alvimedica in the lead. The moment was captured on camera, and you don’t want to miss it.

Team SCA had gradually fallen to the back of the fleet, breaking their Fractional Code Zero during their Chinese gybe and suffering electronic problems. The girls finally rounded the Cape in uncomfortable conditions, with an even worst forecast ahead of them.

Official rounding times around Cape Horn:

Team Alvimedica – March 31, 1407 UTC
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing – March 31, 1422 UTC
Team Brunel – March 31, 1523 UTC
MAPFRE – March 31, 1525 UTC
Team SCA – April 1, 1142 UTC

Coping with the South Atlantic

Think the route leading to the Cape was the worst part of this leg?

Well, you may want to read this blog from Alvimedica’s Amory Ross.

“Survived the Southern Ocean and Cape Horn only to get absolutely destroyed off the coast of South America. This will be the most uncomfortable, difficult, and dangerous 24 hours of the leg without question, while we hammer ourselves upwind into 35-40 knots (41 right now) in a completely confused and unpredictable sea.”

A front passed over the fleet, now led by Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. The first four boats were still extremely close, though, with Team Brunel having destroyed their J1 beyond repair.

"This is a downer,” said Louis Balcaen. “We were doing so well; we really, really came back. And now we will miss the main sail! Acid.”

In a different weather system, Team SCA sailed some 580nm behind the pack.

Approaching Brazil

Calms, gusts, calms, gusts. The weather didn’t make for an easy approach of the finish line in Itajaí, a coastal city 1000km south of Rio de Janeiro.

On April 5, the day of the arrival of the first four boats, they were still within 5nm of each other, but the Emirati boat had made some small gains during the night. That was enough to keep MAPFRE under control and cross the line shortly before dusk, acclaimed by thousands of Brazilian fans.

“It’s a fine line – knowing when it’s right to push to the limit and when it’s not,” said a hairy, exhausted Simon Fisher on the dock. According to the navigator of the winning boat, Leg 5 was all about balancing safety and speed.

“We saw the opportunity to go for the 24-hour distance record and knew we had to go for it. After Cape Horn - with Dongfeng out of the leg - it was all about making sure we finished the leg in one piece.”

Multimedia

Best images of Leg 5 - Auckland to Itajaí


The Inside Track Leg 5

 Best videos of Leg 5

 
Watch more videos from Leg 5 on our YT channel

Download our fantastic infographics

 

Results

Cape Horn rounding times

In order of finish: Date Time
Team Alvimedica 30/03/15 14:07 UTC
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 30/03/15 14:22 UTC
Team Brunel 30/03/15 15:23 UTC
MAPFRE 30/03/15 15:25 UTC
Team SCA 01/04/15 11:42 UTC
Dongfeng Race Team Retired -
Team Vestas Wind Did not start -

 

Finish times

In order of finish: Finish date Finish time Elapsed time Points
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 05/04/15 19:30:10 UTC 18d 23h 30min 10s 1
MAPFRE 05/04/15 20:02:56 UTC 19d 00h 02min 56s 2
Team Alvimedica 05/04/15 20:24:32 UTC 19d 00h 24min 32s 3
Team Brunel 05/04/15 20:25:48 UTC 19d 00h 25min 48s 4
Team SCA 07/04/15 13:52:15 UTC 20d 17h 52min 15s 5
Dongfeng Race Team Retired - -
Team Vestas Wind Did not start - - 8

¹Retired - click here for more info. 

 

Stats

In order of finish: Sailed
distance (nm)
Max 24hr
distance (nm)
Max 1hr avg
speed (knots)
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 7287,1 550,8 24,2
MAPFRE 7300,8 534,9 23,4
Team Alvimedica 7301,3 545,5 24,1
Team Brunel 7341,1 541,0 24,0
Team SCA 7462,9 462,2 22,7
Dongfeng Race Team Retired - -
Team Vestas Wind Did not start - -
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