Sea, Sail & Surf news
The Volvo Ocean Race fleet at the restart from Miami
©Richard Langdon/Ocean ImagesVOLVO OCEAN RACE / Leg 6
Dramatic start in Miami for leg six of the Volvo Ocean Race
dimanche 14 avril 2002 –
As the fleet charged towards the start line at 1300 local time, all but Amer Sports Too and Assa Abloy were on the wrong side of the course. VHF radio, a gun signal and flag X recalled the boats OCS. A 13-knot southeasterly breeze had kicked up a one-metre swell as the countdown began and the incidents occurred.
Lisa McDonald’s team of ladies onboard Amer Sports Too made a perfect start and led the fleet under spinnaker from Assa Abloy, reaching the first turning mark 200 hundred metres ahead. Illbruck, the first boat to realise her error, made a quick correction, returned to the line, re-crossed and passed the first turning mark in third position, immediately chipping away at Assa Abloy in second.
In fourth place was Amer Sports One, also very quick to understand what was going on and return to the line. SEB was in fifth, followed by Djuice, the only boat to carry a 13th crewmember, allowed under the rules to sail for media purposes on this leg. Tyco followed Djuice and News Corp, who appeared to have made the best start, and sailed the furthest, wrapping her spinnaker tightly round the mast whilst turning back towards the line and eventually re-crossed in last position.
Earlier overcast skies had greeted the race crews as they made their final preparations, bade farewell and left the dock to make their way to the starting area. Monsignor Franklyn Casale, the President of St Thomas University, the Reverend Raymond Otto - Lutheran Chaplain and Rabbi Solomon Schiff, gave the traditional blessing of the fleet.
The dock was packed six deep as heavy rain swept across the Race Village. SEB left the dock as her supporters fired green flares and Assa Abloy departed complete with Miami High School cheerleaders dancing on the bow and holding a big banner reading ŒThank you Miami‚.
The fleet paraded down through Government Cut, alongside one of the biggest luxury cruise liners in the world and out to the start line off Miami Beach with its colourful hotels outlined against the bright blue sky less than a quarter of a mile from the committee boat end of the line. On either side of the start corridor, spectator boats mixed with cruise liners, sports boats and sailing catamarans to get the best view. Nine helicopters filled the air and sea was a bright blue with small white horses glistening in the heat.
The Met Office weather forecast for Miami area and 400 nm towards Baltimore is very similar to that of yesterday with a high off Newfoundland expected to slowly east-southeast in to the central north Atlantic.
Wind : East-southeast force 4 occasional force 5 becoming more south-southeast later.
Seas : Moderate open waters off Miami, and then moderate or rough in the more exposed Atlantic waters, north of the Bahamas.
Weather : Scattered showers, locally thundery, most frequent over/near land, but a few expected over open waters.
The fleet is expected to finish the 875 nm leg to Baltimore on Wednesday 17th April.
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