While it may be a relaxed Sunday for many around the world, that is surely not the case for the Volvo Ocean Race fleet battling for position in the South Atlantic. In particular, the navigators and skippers are faced with choices that may largely determine their fate on Leg 2 as they race towards Cape Town. On Sunday morning, with most of the leading group having finally gybed and sailing an easterly track towards Cape Town, Team Brunel defied expectations and turned back to the southwest … [Read more...] about Neck and Neck as Pressure Mounts
Sport
Sometimes going the wrong way pays
The Volvo Ocean Race leaderboard is constantly undergoing a shake-up, reflective at the moment almost entirely by how far east a team is positioned. As the fleet approaches the latitude of the finish line in Cape Town, this is hardly surprising. Any progress to the east is a direct mile off the 2,500 or so miles left to the finishing line. But tactically, it’s hardly that simple, and teams that many experts are touting as in the strongest position on this leg are still charging to the … [Read more...] about Sometimes going the wrong way pays
Wind vs Distance in Sprint for Cape Town
A 130 nautical mile lateral split has opened up in the Volvo Ocean Race fleet on Friday as the teams trade off better wind with shorter distance in a bid to get to Cape Town first. Bouwe Bekking's Team Brunel were today the most westerly boat having gybed onto starboard at 0900 UTC, with Vestas 11th Hour Racing following suit shortly after. For several hours Bekking's Dutch-flagged boat was actually pointing in the opposite direction to Cape Town, much to the amazement of some race fans … [Read more...] about Wind vs Distance in Sprint for Cape Town
Will Cutting the Corner Pay?
At the 1300 UTC ranking Simeon Tienpont's AkzoNobel was in the Leg 2 top spot because their trajectory, around 70 nautical miles to the east of the fleet, puts them closer to Cape Town than any of their rivals. But while they are technically in pole position in terms of distance to finish, the move is a tactical roll of the dice from Tienpont and his navigator Jules Salter. By positioning themselves to the east they have reduced the amount of miles they need to sail, but the compromise … [Read more...] about Will Cutting the Corner Pay?
Talha Moosajee and Raais Asmal head for Aldo Scribante Final Battle
2017 Volkswagen Driver Search hopefuls, Talha Moosajee and Raais Asmal will battle it out for top spot this coming weekend with the winner earning a spot in the 2018 Volkswagen Motorsport Driver Team. Top two finalists Thalha Moosajee and Raais Asmal are close to realising their dream of becoming a Volkswagen Motorsport Driver with the last leg of the Driver Search competition wrapping up in Port Elizabeth’s Aldo Scribante Racetrack on Saturday, 18 November. Moosajee and Asmal have had to … [Read more...] about Talha Moosajee and Raais Asmal head for Aldo Scribante Final Battle
Kings return to Stadium for Scarlets clash
Sunday, November 26 will be a red-letter day for the Southern Kings when they host reigning champions, Scarlets, in a GUINNESSPRO14 Championship clash at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Despite suffering a heavy loss away to the Welshmen in their opening fixture early in September, the Kings come into this match fresh off the back of their best performance of the season – a narrow 36-43 loss to Ulster – and it would be a huge mistake to underestimate the men from the Bay. Whilst results … [Read more...] about Kings return to Stadium for Scarlets clash
Warriors Team to meet Titans
The Warriors today announced the 13 man squad for the RamSlam T20 match against the Multiply Titans which takes place tomorrow (Friday) in East London at 18:00. Team: Colin Ackermann, Andrew Birch, Gihahn Cloete, Aya Gqamane, Colin Ingram, Christiaan Jonker, Sisanda Magala, Lesiba Ngoepe, Jerry Nqolo, Solo Nqweni, Jon-Jon Smuts (Captain), Kelly Smuts and Basheer Walters. … [Read more...] about Warriors Team to meet Titans
Advice from one sailor to another – Urine works
Editor: Many years ago I was part of the Summerstrand Life Saving Club Reel Alarm team - when the surf was light we used nylon rope attached to a swimmer to retrieve swimmers in distress. The nylon line was particularly heavy on the hands and cut them to smithereens. Many on our crew resorted to using Methylated spirits to toughen up their hands, but that made the skin dry and crack. Then, one day, a hoary old lifesaver instructed us to pee on our hands whilst in the shower, let it dry and then … [Read more...] about Advice from one sailor to another – Urine works
Back to Business and the charge South
With Monday's Equator crossings already a fading memory for the Volvo Ocean Race crews, gone too is any respite, however brief, from the relentless action that's characterising the second leg. Many sailors awoke on Tuesday sporting new haircuts or with the faint whiff of days-old food about them, or both. These were the only reminders of the momentary reprieve that came in the form of the traditional ceremonies to induct first timers into the court of King Neptune. However … [Read more...] about Back to Business and the charge South
Hunters Celebrate with Raw Liver, Sailors do it Differently
The Volvo Ocean Race frontrunners are into the Southern Hemisphere on Monday after crossing the Equator, the latest milestone in the drag race to Cape Town. Charles Caudrelier's Dongfeng Race Team led the fleet over the famous line of latitude at 0941 UTC with the slimmest of leads over MAPFRE, Vestas 11th Hour Racing, Team Brunel and team Akzonobel. By 1126 UTC all five boats in the tight leading pack had crossed the Equator, the delta between them just shy of 18 nautical miles going into … [Read more...] about Hunters Celebrate with Raw Liver, Sailors do it Differently
The Slow Dance in the Doldrums
Dongfeng Race Team retains the lead in Leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race, but only just, as the leaders slow in Doldrums conditions. Just 10 miles separate first from fourth, and the difference between first and worst is scarcely 45 miles, good news for the backmarkers, who are back in the game. These are agonising conditions for the sailors, who normally live and die by each of the six-hourly position reports. But with the positions closing up, the other boats are either in sight from on deck, … [Read more...] about The Slow Dance in the Doldrums
Doldrum Dodging
With the fleet approaching the latitudes of the Doldrums, speeds are expected to drop and indeed the leading boat, Dongfeng, was down to 12 knots of speed on the 13:00 UTC position report. Boats just 10 miles further back were making closer to 20 knots. So a compression in the fleet is expected. But it may not be as severe as it often is. This Doldrums crossing is forecast to be relatively quick. Good news for the leading pack with the boats grouped so close together. “There is still so … [Read more...] about Doldrum Dodging
Intense Sailing at the Pacer 27 Regatta in Algoa Bay [video]
The Pacer 27 Class sailed their National Championships during May 2008 in Algoa Bay as part of the Giza Challenge Regatta hosted by the Algoa Bay Yacht Club from Port Elizabeth. This footage was paid for by the sponsors and flighted on SuperSport. See if you can spot a young Philip Straton on the Pacer 27 sailed by Chris Frost. … [Read more...] about Intense Sailing at the Pacer 27 Regatta in Algoa Bay [video]
Not ANOTHER Sunset!
Eventually one becomes just a bit blase over the magnificent sunrises and sunsets that mother Nature dishes up in the middle of the ocean. Actually no, scrap that, I would give a small appendage to experience these every day for the rest of my life! Charles Caudrelier's Dongfeng Race Team were putting on a display of straight-line speed sailing on Friday as the Volvo Ocean Race fleet bore down on the Doldrums. The Chinese-flagged team had eked out a narrow five-mile lead over rivals … [Read more...] about Not ANOTHER Sunset!
Why is PE known as the Friendly City? Let the Clipper sailors tell you!
Let's illustrate just how friendly a city Port Elizabeth is with a recent practical example; The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race set off from Cape Town on 31 October, destination: Freemantle, Australia via the notorious Southern Ocean. On the second day into Leg 3, the yacht Greenings ran aground off of Kommetjie, leaving the crew and skipper without a yacht to sail on. Four days into Leg 3 days the call went out that round the world sailor, Greg Adams, on yacht hotelplanner.com, had … [Read more...] about Why is PE known as the Friendly City? Let the Clipper sailors tell you!
