The second sprint of the VELUX 5 OCEANS is looking like it will go down to the wire in an exhilarating climax to the 7,000 nautical mile leg. After 26 days of full-on solo racing through the Southern Ocean, and with 1,000 nautical miles left to the finish line in Wellington, New Zealand, the leading ocean racers are separated by just 300 nautical miles.
Brad Van Liew Velux 5 Oceans . Image copyright onEdition VELUX5OCEANS.
Out in front by 200 nautical miles, race leader Brad Van Liew was today feeling the pressure as he tried to keep his lead over second placed Zbigniew ‘Gutek’ Gutkowski and Derek Hatfield in third. The American skipper of Le Pingouin, winner of ocean sprint one, admitted tactical decisions in the final days of the sprint could make the difference between victory and defeat.
“We’ve got a pretty serious boat race going on right now,” said Brad, who in the past few days has seen his lead reduced by around 200 nautical miles after being struck with light winds. “It’s a bummer to have such a big lead and lose it. It’s actually quite wonderful sailing at the moment but for the last three days I haven’t had as much breeze as Gutek and Derek have had. They’re killing me! The real scary thing for me is there are a few options here they could play that could see them pass me.”
Brad was forced to dip south to skirt a high pressure zone which has swept south from Australia allowing Gutek and Derek to take chunks out of his lead. To add to the pressure he also faces the tough decision of which route to take into Wellington: west through the notoriously fickle Tasman Sea and the Cook Strait or east round the bottom of the New Zealand’s South Island.
“With us all so close it’s tough, it’s really competitive but it’s great for the race,” Brad added. “We all want this to be a competitive race but I sure would like to have more of a lead and just win the damn thing! All three of us are pretty seriously engaged and no-one’s leaving anything on the table. I couldn’t put up another stitch of cloth if I wanted to unless I took my underwear off and hung that from the rig! The weather gods are really evening the playing field up here and without question any of the three of us could win it.”
GUTEK’S BLOG: WHICH WAY TO GO?
For the nearest couple of days I can’t say anything sure about my strategy. I want to stick with the external part of a low pressure system where I am now, so this low shall lead me until New Zealand. But what will be next, I don’t know, as there is nothing clear in the weather forecast and the winds in the Cook Straight are unstable. Tomorrow I could tell more about it. For today I know How to reach NZ, and don’t know yet how to reach Cook Straight.
I have to watch Derek and Brad. If Brad would make a mistake, I could use it of course, but I have to look at what Derek is doing. It’s the most important not to lose everything now, keep calm and don’t overdo it.
I made up a lot for Brad, as yesterday it was 400 Nm and today it’s only 250. In theory I could go fast like this for the next 24 hrs, but the risk is too high and it would be better to keep an eye on Derek and focus on a competition for second place.
The conditions at the ocean are given, so we have to get used to them. We can fight with it or cooperate, but I think cooperation is better. Today I met a research vessel, Aurora Australis, and had a chat with them on VHF. First I thought it’s an iceberg as my alarm started to ring for the first time since Cape Town when I met some fishing boat. So, the vessel was going to the Antarctic with a supply delivery or so. Good it was not an iceberg. But really, spotting a vessel on 52 S is like finding a needle in a haystack.
