Two days before the start of the fifth leg of the Ocean Race, there has been a lot of movement in the teams' test of strength in the American harbour of Newport. Following the announcement of Charles Caudrelier's commitment to Team Holcim - PRB has also announced a prominent new addition to Charlie Enright's US team 11th Hour Racing for the 3,500 nautical mile leg from Newport to Aarhus, Denmark.
"Double Charlie" for 11th Hour Racing
Imoca expert Charlie Dalin will strengthen the American team on the course back to Europe. What does skipper Charly Enright from Newport expect from the deployment of his namesake? Enright says of Dalin: "His track record as one of, if not the most successful offshore sailor in recent years speaks for itself. He's been our stablemate at MerConcept for the last few years and we've had the pleasure of sailing with him in the past. Just not in a competition yet. I'm really looking forward to having him on board for this double scored leg."
Dalin himself said: "I would like to thank the 11th Hour Racing Team for this great opportunity to compete with them in the next leg of the Ocean Race. It will be a wonderful experience. I know the team well as we have worked together a lot in the development of our respective boats under the MerConcept umbrella. I admire the energy that is being put into the project and the Ocean Race."
Team Holcim - PRB optimistic after successful "marriage" of boat and mast
On 17 May, the audience at Ocean Live Park in Newport was able to watch the arrival of the cargo ship onto which "Holcim - PRB" had been loaded in Rio de Janeiro on 3 May. The Imoca from Kevin Escoffier's team was launched at around 7.30 pm local time and is now back in the hands of the technicians in Team Holcim - PRB. On Thursday morning, the new mast, which had already arrived from Lorient a week earlier, was placed on "Holcim - PRB". This brought both participation in the harbour race on Saturday and in stage five within reach.
Kevin Escoffier said: "The arrival of the boat in Newport is the second biggest step after the arrival of the mast. But it's far from over. We have to adjust the sails, the rigging and all the other things. The fact that the boat arrived on time and even a little earlier than we had hoped is a big plus. We are continuing our journey towards our main goal: that is the start of leg five on 21 May."
Guyot decision on comeback remains open for the time being
For Holcim - PRB's Technical Director Loïc Féquet, the prospect of taking part in the next stage, which is now very close again, is a great team success: "The whole team has been mobilised since the mast broke, really everyone! We had to organise ourselves very quickly to deal with this mishap. We had to make a lot of decisions within a few days. We have made it! We're not at the start of the leg yet, but there's a good chance we'll make it."
For Team Guyot, however, the situation is much more difficult after the late mast breakage on leg four. The only thing that is clear is that the boat has been loaded and will be sent to Europe by cargo ship at the weekend. Whether and when the team led by French skipper Ben Dutreux and his Berlin co-skipper will be able to take part in the 14th Ocean Race again remains uncertain. The team has postponed its decision on a possible re-entry until next week. Financial considerations and time constraints play a decisive role in the French-German team's planning games.
We have everything we need to win the race" (Boris Herrmann)
Boris Herrmann's Malizia team has no such worries. The skipper rejoined his team in Newport this week and is signalling a lot of positive energy, confidence and a desire to attack. "The fifth leg is an exciting leg," explains skipper Boris Herrmann. "It's an iconic ocean race leg." Herrmann sees the Ocean Race on course for success: "At the moment, things couldn't be going better for our team and for the race as a whole. We are now in second place together with the 11th Hour Racing Team, just one point behind Team Holcim - PRB, so almost level on points. We have everything we need to win the race."
In an interview with YACHT online, Boris Herrmann shared his assessment of the chances with regard to the interim results: "Both Kevin Escoffier and Charlie Enright and their teams are pushing their boats very hard. In our eyes, both are going a little too hard." Herrmann added with a smile: "That's why they break things - and we win in the end."
Team Malizia with proven assets and Eliès instead of Lunven
On leg five, skipper Boris Herrmann will be accompanied by Yann Eliès, while navigator Nico Lunven takes a break. The Frenchman had already stood in for Boris Herrmann, who was injured at the time, on the second leg, so he already knows "Malizia - Seaexplorer" well. "Yann and I have never actually sailed together before," says Boris Herrmann. He continues: "I'm delighted to have him on board, he brings a lot of experience to the team." British co-skipper Will Harris and Dutch co-skipper Rosalin Kuiper as well as on-board reporter Antoine Auriol, who have completed all the legs so far, complete Team Malizia for leg five.
"I'm taking on the role of navigator and weather forecaster," adds Yann Eliès. "Nico has done an excellent job so far, so of course there is a certain amount of pressure. But I've already crossed the Atlantic more than 20 times. Less often towards Europe, but I still know the route quite well. As for Boris, Will and Rosie, they know the boat very well. Every time they sail, the boat gets faster. The team is really on a good path and that's why I'm even more excited to sail with them again."
Can "Malizia - Seaexplorer" play to its strengths on the transatlantic leg?
Team Malizia is looking forward to a leg that should favour the robust "Malizia - Seaexplorer". That's why Boris Herrmann says: "The next leg has the highest statistical chance of strong waves and winds, and we are definitely stronger than other teams. I like the fact that there are double points on the next leg and I'm pretty confident that we can perform well and achieve a good overall result."
After the start of the leg off Newport, the sailors have a challenging and varied section ahead of them. "To start with, we will have to contend with the local effects of the warm Gulf Stream," explains Yann Eliès. "It's quite a strong current that flows along the coast and changes the weather forecasts, which are never particularly good or accurate in these areas." Will Harris adds: "That's where the North Atlantic depressions form. Ideally, you try to catch one of these storms."
Cold and fog on the way home
On the way there, the fleet will pass Newfoundland, where it will be cold and foggy. "Then comes the Eistor, an exclusion zone imposed by the race organisers, which we are not allowed to enter to avoid icebergs," says Yann Eliès. "We will probably go very far north, up to about 60 degrees north, not far from Iceland, where daylight lasts 20 hours or more at this time of year. Once we've left the north of Scotland behind us, we'll sail more along the coast, avoiding some oil platforms and wind farms."
Boris Herrmann is looking forward to the return to Europe, where the North Sea and the Kattegat await at the end of the leg on course for Aarhus: "We are finally coming to my home waters, the Baltic Sea! This leg is very varied and will be a fast-paced sprint across the Atlantic." Michael Illbruck also wished him luck in Newport. The son of sailing pioneer and "Pinta" Admiral's Cup winner Willy Illbruck was the first and so far only German to win the Ocean Race 2001/2002 with the "illbruck Challenge".
45 per cent of Ocean Race points are still up for grabs
Rosie Kuiper explained in Newport how important the three remaining legs are for all teams: "We have sailed 80 per cent of the miles, but there are still 45 per cent of the points to be awarded. We are super hungry, everyone is feeling the energy. This downwind leg could be our leg. We know our boat is fast. We are very eager to get going. I'm also really looking forward to sailing to Europe. It's been a great adventure around the world, but European waters are the ones I know best and I'm looking forward to sailing home very soon." With "home" Rosie Kuiper alludes to leg six of the seven Ocean Race legs, which will take the field from Aarhus via fly-by in Kiel to The Hague on 9 June.
Before the start of the fifth leg on Sunday, the Imoca fleet will first compete in the In-Port Race on Saturday. Although the In-Port Racing Series points are not included in the overall race standings, they could play a decisive role in the outcome of the Ocean Race. This is because they serve as a tiebreaker in the event of a tie in the Ocean Race standings. The in-port race in Newport starts on Saturday (20 May) at 2.10 p.m. local time, which is 8.10 p.m. German time.
Tough decisions, right mindset? Ocean Race anchorman Niall Myant-Best talks to Anke-Marjicke van Boxtel about the teams' decision-making processes in the race around the world:
Tatjana Pokorny
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