For the first time in the 50-year history The Imoca class is the boat of choice for the 14th edition of the legendary team regatta around the world, and for the second time the race, which once began as the Whitbread Round the World Race, will be held under a new name. With the longest leg in its history - 12,750 nautical miles across the Southern Ocean - the 14th edition offers yet another highly spectacular sporting premiere. Never before has there been so much interest in Germany, never before has the race been followed so closely. On the one hand, this is due to the Cooperation between the organiser and US media giant Warner Bros. Discovery (Eurosport) but above all on the Record number of German sailors. Due to the pandemic, the Ocean Race is also taking place for the first time five years (instead of three) after the previous edition. The entire sailing world and hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic fans are now looking to Alicante with all the more anticipation.
The first starting shot will be fired there tomorrow at 2 pm. Initially, however, for the Volvo 65 class, the will contest a shortened route with just three stages (VO65 Sprint Cup ). Two hours later, the main protagonists are sent on their Imocas on the 1,900 nautical mile course from Alicante to the Cape Verde Islands.
To get there, the sailors will first face a tough upwind section with up to 35 knots of wind in the gusts. After around two days at sea, the teams will sail through the Strait of Gibraltar and then race towards the finish on rough courses.
The Ocean Race: first leg as a test - good risk management required
In the context of the race, the first stage resembles a sprint - according to the current weather forecast, the teams will only be on the road for four to five days. However, this does not make the opening stage any less challenging, especially strategically. This is because the stop on Cape Verde will only be a few days long - the start towards Cape Town will take place on 25 January.
In addition, the teams' technical crews are not allowed to work on site, so any damage must be repaired by the sailors themselves in the shortest possible time. It will therefore be interesting to see whether the teams will push their boats to the limit in the first few nautical miles or whether a little more caution will be required at first.
Boris Herrmann and his team are a particular focus here. The rider from Hamburg had already appeared much more restrained than the competition at the Route du Rhum. Now, just recently massive damage to the foils of "Malizia - Seaexplorer" out. These have since been replaced by profiles similar to those of Sam Davies' boat "Initiatives Cœur". They were intended for another, currently still secret, new build by a well-known offshore professional.
Although the new foils differ significantly from the previous ones, they have made a surprisingly good impression so far - the team itself and the victory at the In-Port Race confirmed this. However, it is simply not possible to predict at present how well the short-term aerofoils will withstand the load in the long term. This could be reason enough for the German team to be a little more cautious.
This is because the route already presents the teams with a number of natural challenges. For example, the Strait of Gibraltar with its shipping traffic, currents and fresh to gale-force winds from the west - in any case very gusty.
Close finish expected in Cape Verde
The destination of this first leg is the island of São Vicente in Cape Verde. Things could also get interesting again on the approach to the finish off Mindelo. Due to the short distance, the teams will probably arrive close together and fight hard for every place over the last few metres.
Whoever gets off to a good start tomorrow and then manages the balancing act between absolute determination to succeed and good risk management will have a good chance of finishing on the podium. They will not only start with a largely undamaged boat, but also with the first points and self-confidence on 25 January in the direction of Cape Town.
The Ocean Race live on TV and stream tomorrow
The start of the first leg of The Ocean Race will be broadcast live and can be followed from home. From 15.30, the start of the Imocas will be shown on linear television on Eurosport 1. Anyone wishing to follow both classes can do so from 2 p.m. via the Streaming provider discovery+ or via the also chargeable Eurosport Player do. A YouTube live stream on the Channel from Eurosport as in the in-port races, will probably not take place. There will also be a longer programme about The Ocean Race and the German participants on ZDF Sportstudio.
Max Gasser
Editor Test & Technology
