The Ocean Race: Breathless off Cape Town - wild start to the "monster stage"

The longest leg in the history of the Ocean Race is underway. The third and toughest leg of the round-the-world race began off Cape Town at 1.15 pm German time on Sunday. The first few hours of the Southern Ocean Marathon were characterised by extremely fluctuating winds and technical problems for several teams.

Between full throttle and bobbing

The first winners of the "monster stage" were Boris Herrmann's Team Malizia, Guyot Environnement - Team Europe and Team Holcim - PRB, who held their own in the bizarre conditions of the treacherous Table Mountain area. Team Malizia and Team Guyot were in the lead when the wind temporarily died completely, leaving the decimated fleet to bob around in front of the Cape Town backdrop for quite a while. When the boats slowly got going again, the German players were still well in the race.

Other teams had problems. The start winners from Team Biotherm had to return to the harbour with technical problems, where according to the regulations they had to wait at least two hours before a possible restart. "We experienced between zero and 45 knots of wind today - crazy," said Paul Meilhat, who described the repairs on "Biotherm" as "not a huge deal". Nevertheless, it was initially unclear whether the two hours of minimal dwell time would be enough for the French to repair the damage.

Team 11th Hour Racing also had to interrupt the race to replace two mainsail battens whose end fittings had broken off. After a brief internal discussion, the Americans accepted two "penalty hours" at sea in order to have replacement material brought in from outside. Team manager Mark Towill explained: "We do have spare parts on board, but we don't want to use them now with 35 days in the Southern Ocean in mind."

The favourites were ahead after three hours

Around three hours after the start late on Sunday afternoon, Kevin Escoffier's Team Holcim - PRB led the decimated fleet by almost four nautical miles ahead of the co-favoured "Malizia - Seaexplorer". Guyot Environnement - Team Europe with Berlin co-skipper Robert Stanjek was seven nautical miles behind the leading boat. Cahrlie Enright's 11th Hour Racing Team had resumed the race at this point and was around ten nautical miles behind Team Holcim - PRB. Team Biotherm had not yet completed the repairs.

In the morning, there was little to suggest what a crazy start it was going to be. Boris Herrmann and his crew with navigator Nico Lunven, Will Harris and Rosalin Kuiper had left Cape Town to much cheering and full of anticipation.

With Caribbean rum and lots of emotions in the royal stage

Shortly before setting off, 41-year-old Herrmann poured a shot of Caribbean rum into the South African harbour water, onto the deck of his racing yacht and, with a laugh, onto the cap of team mate Rosalin Kuiper. The battle cry of the man heading for his sixth Cape Horn passage: "We're ready. Our boat is ready. The leg can come."

Boris Herrmann looked relaxed and at ease before the start. He said: "I feel good today, as does the crew. We have great confidence in the work that the team has done with the ship here. I'm looking forward to getting on board. The start here is very emotional and we are ready for this great adventure."

Robert Stanjek: "You have to find a chamber in which human worries are locked away"

"Guyot" co-skipper Robert Stanjek looked forward to his Cape Horn premiere and the new experiences with anticipation and respect: "We are sailing through the most hostile weather conditions this planet has to offer. It's all a bit tougher, bigger and of course colder." The safety precautions are enormous in view of these sea areas. Stanjek reported: "We have completed training courses and briefings on safety issues - be it medical training, but also crisis management in the event of major material breakages. We have rehearsed procedures and taken measures for all eventualities on board. We also have an experienced crew. I am the only newcomer on board in the Southern Ocean."

However, according to Stanjek, concerns should not paralyse thoughts. He says: "In a way, you have to find a chamber in which human worries are locked away. There is still a risk, of course. A serious injury can be complicated. But it's also a good adventure to go down there. Close your eyes and march through it! It will go well. It's the queen stage, the DNA of this race."

Dee Caffari: "This stage stands for endurance and brutality"

Ahead of the Ocean Race fleet, which was initially a little plucked, lie 12,750 stormy and icy cold nautical miles to the Brazilian port of call Itajaí. The almost 24,000 kilometre-long race route in the Southern Ocean leads around three quarters of the way around Antarctica. "This leg stands for endurance and brutality," said circumnavigator and Eurosport co-commentator Dee Caffari, before the fleet gradually disappeared into the horizon on its course around the three capes.

Stormy first night ahead

On the first night of Monday, the fleet can expect a first strong wind test with 23 to 30 knots of wind. In the coming days, it will then be necessary to position themselves in relation to the large high-pressure outbreak and make important strategic decisions.

"You can sail through the high to get south as quickly as possible, or you can navigate around it. However, if the first team heads south, the others will probably follow because nobody wants to be left behind," explained Dee Caffari. Christian Dumard, official weather advisor for the Ocean Race, confirmed: "If one crew heads south, the others might follow for fear of missing a successful trick."

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