Three of the six teams have already completed all or part of the first leg on the deck of a freighter. This now seems to be becoming a habit.
The race organisers of the Volvo Ocean Race have announced the mode for the second and third legs. The six teams will partly cover these legs on the deck of a freighter.
The starting signal for the second stage is scheduled to be given on 11 December off Cape Town. Shortly after that, however, things become bizarre. Firstly, a corridor is designated in the sailing instructions that the teams must avoid in order to minimise the risk of pirate attacks. In addition, shortly after the start, data transmission ashore is cancelled and only the distance between each team and the leading boat is transmitted.
During this phase, the yachts call at a safe, unspecified harbour to be loaded onto a freighter, which is equipped with armed escorts and also unspecified defence systems. This then takes them through pirate territory to the Persian Gulf, where they are put back into the water shortly before Abu Dhabi. A new start is planned and this remaining leg of the journey will take about another day.
The first leg counts for 80 per cent of the classification, the second for 20 per cent. The third leg from Abu Dhabi to Sanya is expected to be similar.
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital
