Exclusive interview with Volvo Ocean racer Stu Bannatyne driver on board Dongfeng Racing: Stu Bannatyne Photo: Jen Edney/Volvo Ocean Race We spoke exclusively this week to Legendary New Zealand sailor Stu Bannatyne, dubbed the ‘King of the Southern Ocean’ who has spent a major part of the last two decades racing through that area of the world. He is what I would descibe as the “Roger Federer” of Round the world Sailing. He has competed in seven Volvo Ocean Races. Bannatyne won the … [Read more...] about Exclusive interview with Volvo Ocean racer Stu Bannatyne driver on board Dongfeng Racing
Dongfeng
Dongfeng, Brunel, Vestas 11th Hour Racing and AkzoNobel bid Mountain farewell
Dongfeng, Brunel, Vestas 11th Hour Racing and AkzoNobel leaving Cape Town dock for the start of Leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race to Melbourne. Destination: Southern Ocean. @dongfengraceteam, @vestas11thhourracing, @brunelsailing, @teamakzonobel Report: http://mype.co.za/new/destination-southern-ocean-for-vor-fleet-racing-to-melbourne/97294/2017/12 #volvoocean race, #capetown, #melbourne, #mype, #sailing - Taken by the Editor whilst wandering aimlessly about pretending to be in the know. … [Read more...] about Dongfeng, Brunel, Vestas 11th Hour Racing and AkzoNobel bid Mountain farewell
Win for Dongfeng
Vestas 11th Hour Racing and Dongfeng Race Team traded blows throughout the first half of the Cape Town In-Port Race course on Friday afternoon, before the Chinese-French team grabbed the lead midway through the race and stretched away for their first win in the series. The victory vaults skipper Charles Caudrelier’s team to second place on the leaderboard for the In-Port Race Series, just behind MAPFRE who retained the overall lead with a fightback second place finish on Friday. "The team … [Read more...] about Win for Dongfeng
Chasing the dying sun
Press boat and photographers chase the dying sun as Dongfeng racing finishes Leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race after a more than 7000 nautical mile sail from Lisbon to Cape Town on Friday 24 November 2017. #volvooceanrace #capetown #sailing #mype - Taken by the Editor whilst wandering aimlessly about pretending to be in the know. … [Read more...] about Chasing the dying sun
@DongfengRacing Sunny Silhouette
@DongfengRacing take second place in Leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Lisbon to Cape Town with a total leg time of 19 days, 4 hours, 2 minutes and 39 seconds! #volvooceanrace #sailing #capetown #mype - Taken by the Editor whilst wandering aimlessly about pretending to be in the know. … [Read more...] about @DongfengRacing Sunny Silhouette
Temperature Down, Velocity Up
Dutch crew Team Brunel opted to go into stealth mode on Monday, cloaking their position from their rivals for up to 24 hours – as Spanish team MAPFRE led the Volvo Ocean Race fleet towards Cape Town. Brunel skipper Bouwe Bekking and navigator Andrew Cape made the call to 'disappear' from the rankings following the 0700 UTC report in an attempt to advance on MAPFRE, some 35 miles ahead. Before going into stealth mode Brunel were in second place, and the most southerly boat in the fleet, but … [Read more...] about Temperature Down, Velocity Up
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 best thing you’ll see all day
The best thing you'll see all day - a sunset onboard Dongfeng somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean (Leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race). Photo: Jeremie Lecaudey/Volvo Ocean Race. As a sailor myself I can attest to the most magnificent sunrises and sunsets, incredibly clean and ultra violet water that one can see into for what seems miles and miles and the most magnificent view of the Milky Way imaginable from the middle of the ocean. The absence of any ambient light at night is incredible and … [Read more...] about The best thing you’ll see all day
Tip Toe Through the Cloud Banks
As temperatures rise and strong winds give way to localised storm activity on the approach to the Doldrums, the Volvo Ocean Race fleet is picking its way through the cloud systems, attempting to connect the dots, joining the wind pressure cells. It’s exhausting work for navigators and skippers in terms of decision-making, and for the crew moving the stack of sails on each gybe. At least some if not all of the teams have elected to ‘split the stack’, piling half the weight on each side of the … [Read more...] about Tip Toe Through the Cloud Banks
The ONLY way open to a VIP Guest to leave a speeding yacht – JUMP!
It is tradition to put VIP Guests and Sponsors on yachts at the start of races such as the Volvo Ocean Race. These incredibly lucky people get to experience first hand the adrenalin associated with a high intensity start and that initial first dash for the next port of call. The 'problem' comes in when that VIP has to disembark as the speed and aspect of these racing machines does not lend itself well to gently stepping off and onto a chase boat. HENCE - we now have the JUMPER who has to take a … [Read more...] about The ONLY way open to a VIP Guest to leave a speeding yacht – JUMP!
