Photos: L ©David Branigan R ©David Branigan
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Sun, 02 Apr 2006 19:10:00 UTC
1910GMT Pirates remain in the lead, just one nautical mile ahead of movistar, Ericsson and ABN AMRO TWO. Brasil 1 has dropped back to two miles from the leader, while ABN AMRO ONE is still last, three miles behind. Speeds have increased across the board. Brasil 1 has a spot speed of 12.6 knots, while the other boats range between 13.4 (Ericsson) and 13.1 (ABN AMRO ONE). The wind is about 12 knots from 237 degrees. The next position report will be at 2200GMT and from then at six hourly intervals.
1820GMT Pirates are in the lead by one nautical mile according to the latest poll, but only one mile behind the leader are all the other boats except ABN AMRO ONE. The nominal order is Pirates in the lead from movistar, Ericsson, ABN AMRO TWO and Brasil 1. ABN AMRO ONE is three miles from the leader. Spot speeds show Pirates at 10.2 knots, the others except ABN AMRO ONE at between nine and nine and a half, ABN AMRO ONE at 7.2. It looks like a long night ahead.
1720GMT ABN AMRO ONE finally gets to the Copacabana Beach mark, 25 minutes behind the leader following their headsail problem just after that start. As our commentary team head back to port and leave the fleet to head east, the order is: Pirates looking very good, closer inshore and carrying lots of wind; Ericsson in second offshore, with movistar following in third. ABN AMRO TWO has resolved their spinnaker problems and have taken Brasil 1 once again. ABN AMRO ONE is last. Position reports will be at one hourly intervals until 1900GMT, then back to race rule reporting at six hourly intervals at 2200GMT.
1715 ABN AMRO TWO resolve the problem and get their spinnaker set, a much deeper one than the other boats seem to be using. Pirates is staying well to leeward of the rest of the boats. ABN AMRO TWO's problem has dropped them to fifth, Brasil 1 has got into fourth place, a spot that they seem to be very comfortable with - last leg and the In Port too. The two ABN AMRO boats are in the last two places, something they haven't seen since that first In Port race in Sanxenxo.
1705GMT Times at the mark were, Pirates after 48 minutes of sailing, then Ericsson 32 seconds back, ABN AMRO TWO another 34 seconds in arrears, then movistar 24 seconds back, Brasil 1 another 41 seconds. ABN AMRO TWO have been rolled by movistar as they struggle with a jammed snuffer on the spinnaker. They haven't been able to set a spinnaker yet and could be caught by Brasil 1. Five crew members are on the bow to sort out ABN AMRO TWO's problem.
1700GMT Ericsson and Pirates are neck and neck at the Copacabana mark. Pirates look strong coming into the buoy and might have snatched back the lead. Ericsson and ABN AMRO TWO come out from the beach on starboard and pass about a boat length behind Ericsson and a longer way behind Pirates. Pirates look to be over the top of Ericsson as they sail the last metres to the buoy. Pirates lead from Ericsson at the Copacabana mark. The downdraught from the ten helicopters in the air is disturbing the boats. Spectator boats are everywhere. Pirates come off the shore to the mark on starboard, Ericsson tack to the mark. ABN AMRO TWO look llook to be in third. Pirates pass the mark in the lead and fight their way through the spectator fleet. Ericsson is three or four lengths behind. ABN AMRO TWO is just in front of movistar by two lengths and Brasil 1 has closed up a long way. Pirates set an assymetric as they head east to Cabo Frio. The others follow with their reaching spinnakers. ABN AMRO ONE is at least ten minutes behind now.
1655GMT Brasil 1, after they had to return at the start, are catching the rest, sailing in full view close to the beach. Ericsson tack offshore on starboard, Pirates are closing on them the opposite tack. Pirates tack on top of Ericsson. Ericsson are back in the lead once more by sailing along the beach. ABN AMRO ONE is well behind the fleet after losing their headsail just after the start due to some failure at the head of the sail or in the halyard lock.
1650GMT Ericsson are well inshore at Copacabana Beach giving the spectators a good view of a Volvo Open 70. Pirates are in a solid lead as they head to the turning mark half a mile away. Ericsson look as though they have reclaimed a lot of distance of Pirates, who still lead.
1645GMT ABN AMRO TWO have made a charge inshore, close to the beach and have gone into second place from Pirates and movistar who have stayed offshore. ABN AMRO TWO seem to have given the specators a good sight as they sailed right inshore, and have carried the wind initially. Pirates and movistar have stayed offshore and might be sailing in more wind. There is a crossing coming up between Ericsson and Pirates. Will there be a new leader? ABN AMRO TWO are coming off the beach on starboard, Ericsson on port and cross ahead. It looks as though the two offshore boats might be in better wind and could go into the lead. At the crossing Pirates and movistar go ahead of Ericsson and ABN AMRO TWO.
1640 Thousands of spectators on the water and on shore are giving the Volvo Ocean Race fleet an amazing send off after what was one of the best stops on the course. Brazil's population seem to have taken the race to their hearts - helped of course by their own entry.
1635 Ten knots of wind as the the fleet is just at the entrance of the bay. Ericsson nicely in the lead from Pirates, with ABN AMRO TWO and movistar very close. Ericsson tacks ahead of Pirates. Brasil 1 is being mobbed by the local spectators and has just had the navy steam over them and take their breeze. The ABN AMRO team ashore are concerned about the problem aboard ABN AMRO ONE and cannot understand why the lock might fail, or the head of the sail. The headsails are hoisted up the mast and then the head of the sail goes into a special latch that holds it to the mast, reducing the compression load on the mast. It is not held by the halyard. The fleet are out of the bay and in clear wind, though the hundreds of spectator boats are chopping up the water with their wash. The fleet heads towards a turning mark off Copacabana Beach. Leave the mark to port, then the next point of interest is Fernando de Noronha.
1630GMT Close to the exit of Guanabara Bay, just to the east of the Sugar Loaf. Ericsson still in the lead, then Pirates, ABN AMRO TWO has overtaken movistar for third. Brasil 1 trying to catch up after being over at the start, ABN AMRO ONE still struggling after their headsail fell into the water.
1625GMT ABN AMRO ONE has lost a lot of distance, but has now got their headsail up again. Ericsson is holding on to a narrow lead as the boats carry on on starboard tack. Ericsson tacks first on the eastern shore - on to port; Pirates are in good breeze and are making ground on Ericsson. movistar and ABN AMRO TWO are still neck and neck. Ericsson tacks back when they start to sail out of the wind and cross well in front of Pirates. It looks as though the Ericsson revival might be on its way with the boat in the charge of John Kostecki. Most of the breeze is on the eastern shore of the bay and that is where the fleet is tacking as they fight their way out into the open ocean.
1620GMT Extremely close racing. Ericsson just crosses Pirates on port, Ericsson in the lead. ABN AMRO ONE out of the back as they struggle with that headsail problem. movistar and ABN AMRO TWO in third and fourth, Brasil 1 in fifth.
1615GMT Good start by movistar, but they seem to have sailed out of the wind. Pirates and ABN AMRO ONE go to the right. ABN AMRO ONE's headsail drops as the lock seems to have failed unexpectedly and the sail falls into the water. ABN AMRO TWO look as though they have come up well, Ericsson is going very well on the starboard side of the course - the city side.
1610GMT Start! All the boats initially come to the line on starboard tack. Ericsson and ABN AMRO ONE now coming in on port, the others on starboard heading to the committee boat. Brasil 1 arrives early at the line and turns. movistar comes right into the spectator fleet. ABN AMRO ONE and TWO get a good start. Brasil 1 restarting after being over before the gun. movistar get the start at the Committee boat. Ericsson heading astern of movistar towards the city. What a shame for Brasil 1 in front of their home crowd.
1605GMT Five minutes. The sea breeze looks as though it is coming to the aid of the fleet, as the ripples from the entrance creep towards the start line. Perhaps four knots as a maximum when it gets into the bay. Very slow manoeuvering before the start. The first leg is a beat to the south, through the entrance of Guanabara Bay and then round a buoy off Copacabana beach before releasing the fleet into the ocean.
1600GMT Ten minute gun goes, but there is little wind to move the boats. The overcast conditions make it unlikely that there will be much in the way of assistance to the southerly gradient wind from the sea breeze either.
1550GMT It looks like there will be a very slow exit from Rio de Janeiro today - shades of Cape Town, when there were collisions between the boats as they drifted. At the moment the smoke from the Brazilian Navy's frigate goes straight up. The Volvo Open 70s are hardly moving as they ready themselves for the start
1540GMT The Volvo Ocean Race boats are on Guanabara Bay preparing for the start of Leg 5 at 1610GMT. The sky is heavily overcast and it's hot and humid. The water is shiny with no ripples from the breeze - but there are plenty of ripples from the hundreds of spectator boats and their navy marshals. Hundreds of shore-bound spectators line the marina wall. The current weather forecast looks to offer about four knots of southerly wind inside the Bay, only a couple of knots more when outside. Out in the Atlantic things don't look much better, with very little wind - mostly from the south to the east, and plenty of rain.
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