Please select your home edition
Edition
Stoneways Marine 2021 - LEADERBOARD

GUYOT environnement - Team Europe Leg 2 Day 10: Will the tropical leg turn into an ice race?

by Offshore Team Germany 3 Feb 2023 21:50 UTC 3 February 2023
Finding a way south through the highs in the coming days is the teams' task © Charles Drapeau / GUYOT environnement - Team Europe

The unusually strong high-pressure system in the South Atlantic continues to keep the five IMOCA teams away from Cape Town/South Africa in The Ocean Race.

The second leg of the world race will probably take a few days longer than originally planned. After eight and a half days at sea, not even half of the leg has been completed. The arrival at the finish, originally scheduled for 9 February, is no longer possible. And in the further course to South Africa, the St. Helena High, extending from the African to the American continent, blocks the fleet's way twice more.

To avoid the high, a deep dive into the South Atlantic is necessary. Not only will it be bitterly cold for the crews, who had recently complained of heat on board, the course could even lead them close to the foothills of the ice zone. The approach to Cape Town could then be from the south.

The caprices of the wind systems have been felt by the crews in the past few days. For GUYOT environnement - Team Europe, defending the lead became an up and down affair. Up to 70 miles was the virtual lead of the black yacht in the south-east trade wind, then it all melted away within a few hours.

Skipper Robert Stanjek looks back once again: "We were able to play to our boat's strengths after the Doldrums - a nice jib reach. We liked that very much. And when we checked the tracker, we were really happy to see that we were the fastest. But then the wind started to get lighter, and at night we drove into a huge cloud. It had a diameter of 80, 90, 100 miles. There were unbelievable rain passages in it and wind directions in which we had to jibe. Suddenly we also had a westerly wind. At times we stopped completely, shortly afterwards we had 28 knots on the display again. It's very frustrating."

By midday on 2 February, the European crew were free out of the cloud again, but had lost the lead by then. With gentle trade-wind conditions, the turnaround was then quickly achieved. While GUYOT environnement - Team Europe picked up speed and headed straight south, the competing boats were stuck further west. By the morning of 3 February, the regained lead had even grown to 80 nautical miles, only to melt away again.

"Whether the separation from the field will do us any good remains to be seen. The pronounced wedge of high pressure is forcing us all deep south, maybe even south-west. That doesn't make us happy," Stanjek explained.

Navigator Sébastien Simon is persistently looking for a way out of the high-pressure trap: "The finish line is very far for us. So we have to stay focussed for the next part of the race. After the high pressure we have to manage all the suptropical low pressure. The game is not finished. We have to sailing our boat, sailing our strategy." And the crew with Pit Anne-Claire Le Berre and Bowman Phillip Kasüske is constantly working to keep speed in the boat. "We are constantly trimming the boat to be as fast as possible. Sometimes it works well when we look at the tracker, sometimes not. That's life, that's sport," said Anne-Claire Le Berre.

Phillip Kasüske also reported on the ups and downs on board: "Exactly 24 hours ago, I started my watch and came on deck when the sails were completely flapping and we had no wind at all. But it slowly, slowly came back and we made very good gains again. I think we got most of our lead back. We are happy to be racing again. The mood is good again after yesterday's upset."

In the meantime, however, they are already calculating on board how plentiful the food supply will be for the rest of the leg. And with the food rationing, the diesel supply must also be closely monitored. On board the engine is the most important energy supplier for the hydraulic systems, the watermaker and the electronic instruments. Energy consumption has therefore already been reduced to a minimum, some instruments are only turned on intermittently in order to reach Cape Town safely despite the time delay.

Related Articles

Pip Hare joins Canada Ocean Racing
Sailing alongside Canadian skipper Scott Shawyer for The Ocean Race Europe Canada Ocean Racing is excited to announce that British offshore sailor Pip Hare will join their Be Water Positive campaign for the 2025 edition of The Ocean Race Europe. Posted on 30 Apr
Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy returns
With the introduction of the high-performance TP52 class The prestigious Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy is set to return for its sixth edition from July 4-6, 2025, promising a thrilling weekend of top-tier sailing in one of Europe's most scenic and challenging maritime locations, Cascais. Posted on 24 Mar
The Ocean Race Europe to make stop in Nice, France
Visiting the Mediterranean coast of France for the first time this summer The Ocean Race Europe, the premiere fully-crewed, offshore sailing race for the foiling IMOCA Class, will visit the Mediterranean coast of France for the first time this summer. Posted on 13 Mar
The Ocean Race Europe will race into Portsmouth
Back in the game for the IMOCA race in the summer of 2025 The Ocean Race Europe, an offshore sailing race for the foiling IMOCA class, will include Portsmouth on the south coast of England, among its six stopovers. Posted on 16 Sep 2024
Volvo Cars and The Ocean Race extend partnership
With a joint mission on ocean health Volvo Cars and The Ocean Race both share the strong commitment to a more sustainable future and to contribute and deliver actual change where it's needed, including in the restoration and preservation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity. Posted on 28 Aug 2024
Franck Cammas awarded 2024 Magnus Olsson Prize
French 'sailor of the decade' is recognised for his spirit and impact on the sport Franck Cammas, the incredible French sailing champion, has earned another important accolade as he is named the winner of the 2024 Magnus (Mange) Olsson Prize. Posted on 9 Aug 2024
Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy concludes
The festival of sailing was contested by 700 sailors battling across seven classes The annual Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy, which took place in Cascais, Portugal, came to a close on Sunday evening after two days of close and intense racing. Posted on 9 Jul 2024
Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy Preview
700 sailors ready to race in the 5th edition The annual Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy event is set to get under way this weekend from 5 to 7 July in Cascais, Portugal. Posted on 1 Jul 2024
Bernardo Freitas to skipper Racing for the Planet
In the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy 2024 The Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team announces that former team watch captain Bernardo Freitas (POR) will lead the Team in the 2024 edition of The Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy, in July. Posted on 9 May 2024
The Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy preview
A sustainable regatta that will see sailing boats take to the Atlantic coast of Portugal Organised in partnership with the Clube Naval de Cascais, the sustainable regatta will see a large number of sailing boats take to the Atlantic coast of Portugal, to raise awareness and important funds for marine conservation programs. Posted on 24 Apr 2024
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERGJW Direct 2024 DinghyPantaenius Sail 2025 ROW Footer