The Ocean Race: Endurance test on course for Cape Horn - stormy days ahead

The summit storm is approaching. At the start of the 25th day at sea on 23 March, the Ocean Race crews still had around 1,500 nautical miles to go to Cape Horn. It will be brutally tough nautical miles. "Perhaps the toughest yet", as race director Phil Lawrence, who is not prone to exaggeration, reported in a press conference on Thursday, pointing out the "very aggressive weather from here to Cape Horn".

Attention, icy conditions! The race organisers have moved the ice limit far to the north

Phil Lawrence and his team have moved the ice boundary, which boats are not allowed to sail over to the south, four times in the past few days. Lawrence reported that satellite images have repeatedly shown how strongly broken-off pieces of ice are now drifting northwards. "These ice packs are moving fast and can cause a lot of damage," said the race director. For safety reasons, the "corridor" between Cape Horn and the ice edge is currently only around 100 nautical miles narrow in its north-south orientation.

The feedback from the teams on the multiple shifts in the ice limit has been positive, as Phil Lawrence assured YACHT online: "We share all our findings with the teams and they are happy that we have this under control in this way." Lawrence predicts "pretty challenging and sporty" times for the crews in the Southern Ocean in the coming days: "It's going to be stressful. The teams have to find the right balance between the safety of their boats and the need to stay in the game."

The further south, the heavier the swell

For the final section of the queen stage from Cape Horn to the Brazilian stage harbour of Itajaí, the race director expects a largely fast passage with a potentially complicated light wind finale after the summit assault.

Ocean Race expert Christian Dumard commented on the current weather conditions: "The winds will initially increase to 25 or 30 knots. But the main problem is the swell. Tomorrow (ed.: 24 March), the waves could reach heights of six to eight metres." The rule of thumb for the next few days is: the further south, the higher the waves. Which is why the weather expert expects the fleet to approach Cape Horn on a more northerly course.

Team Malizia leads The Ocean Race fleet into the storm ...

For the Cape Horn Passage itself, which is expected on 27 or 28 March, the weather models are not yet in agreement as to how a nearby low-pressure area will behave, says Christian Dumard. These and many other considerations are currently being factored into the mind games and strategy development of the crews at sea.

On the afternoon of 23 March, Team Malizia was once again the northernmost boat at about 45° south latitude, leading the four-way race ahead of Paul Meilhat's Team Biotherm and Kevin Escoffier's Team Holcim. PRB taken over. On course for the Cape Horn milestone, "Malizia" skipper Boris Herrmann and his team are battling for a strong result in the chocolate conditions of their boat. Boris Herrmann has made no secret of the fact that he "absolutely wants to win" this leg.

Charles Caudrelier: "I would call 'Holcim-Select 'PRB'"

Charles Caudrelier, winning skipper of the last Ocean Race with the Donfeng Race Team, told YACHT when asked which boat in the current fleet he would choose for an Ocean Race: "That's easy: I would choose Holcim - PRB because the boat is fast in almost all conditions. I know Kevin well, we've talked a lot about his boat. He did it very smartly. But there is one exception: if it comes to strong winds, then I would choose 'Malizia'."

Charles Caudrelier, who has just confidently won the Route du Rhum with the Gitana giant "Maxi Edmond de Rothschild" and has his sights set on the Jules Verne Trophy, said of his own Ocean Race plans: "Maybe I'll sail another leg in this race." The 49-year-old Frenchman left open the question of whether it will be a whole race in the future: "I'm not sure, but you should never say never. At the moment, I'm having fun with our big boat. And these Imocas are really tough to sail. Maybe I'm already too old for this game ..."

First warning shot in stormy conditions for Team Biotherm

A first warning shot has hit Paul Meilhat's Team Biotherm in the increasingly pressurised conditions. Still in the lead, the fractional code zero broke. "We were sailing with two reefs in the mainsail and FRO," reported Meilhat, "there was a very steep wave and we sailed right into it. When the boat came out again, the sail was practically torn in two at the foot. We were able to furl it, pack it into its bag and pull up a smaller sail." The sail was not repairable at sea.

More exciting articles about The Ocean Race:

• New Technical Director for Malizia
• 13 leadership changes in two days - Cape Horn ahead
• Why the sails could decide the race