Emirates Team New Zealand Media Update: South Seas

Emirates Team New Zealand Media Update: Revelling in the Southern Ocean

23 March 2012

CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand has finally hit the fast Southern Ocean downwind sailing conditions the team has been waiting for.

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Over the last 24 hours the breeze has been steadily building with gusts over 40 knots, while air and sea temperature have been plunging as the boats track south towards Cape Horn. CAMPER has been revelling in the heavy running conditions with average boat speed well in excess of 20 knots and slipping into first place early this morning as the fleet rockets towards the first ice exclusion limit.

CAMPER is currently in first place 4 nautical miles (nm) ahead of Groupama, with Puma in third place 17.2 nm off the pace.

With the strong westerly depression that is currently sitting over the fleet expected to intensify over the next 24 hours bringing even stronger and colder winds and bigger seas, teams are having to balance racing performance with simple survival and keeping boat and crew in one piece.

CAMPER co-skipper Stu Bannatyne says that CAMPER will make the most of the Southern Ocean sailing.

“Without a doubt the best sailing in the world is downwind sailing in the Southern Ocean, no question about that.
"We are about to get a bit of it. Our tactics for sailing from here to Cape Horn -- be safe and go fast. These boats will get up and go pretty quickly and we’ll have some very tight racing at break neck speeds .
“It’s going to be a fun ride.”

CAMPER skipper Chris Nicholson agrees that it’s going to be a testing but exhilarating few days.
“35 to 40 knots in the Southern Ocean tests everything out – drivers, boats, rigs. You name it really, it’s going to get a hammering.
“So our priorities are no injuries, no breakages and to keep the hammer down. In that order.

“This is what the Volvo Ocean Race is all about though and this is why we do it. After everything we put ourselves through, it all becomes worthwhile down here.”

CAMPER in the latest position report at 1100h 23 March NZT is sailing at 24 knots in a 28 knot south westerly.

Pictures of CAMPER, video footage and audio files are available upon request. Further information and race updates will be available on our blog and on our Facebook page

The latest video from on board CAMPER is here

ENDS

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