Telefonica Blue trying to make the best out of the light airs, on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Qingdao to Rio de Janeiro. Image copyright Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race.
by Volvo Ocean Race media
The two boats remaining at sea in this marathon Leg 5 are locked in combat, approaching what should be a final night offshore. Green Dragon is in Stealth mode, protecting a lead over the hard charging Telefonica Blue.
Ian Walker and his men on Green Dragon played their stealth card following the 07:00 GMT position report. On that sked, Telefonica Blue had closed to within just 55 miles of the Dragons. 24 hours earlier, they had been 184 miles behind.
By virtue of their more westerly position, Green Dragon has been forced to sail a tighter angle over the past day or so, and that will account for some of the loss. But by the 07:00 position report, they'd managed to climb to a position nearly directly north of Telefonica Blue, on the direct route between the chasing boat and the finish in Rio - a good protective position.
Although we can't follow the progress of Green Dragon whilst they are in Stealth, we can see what's happening on board Telefonica Blue. On the 16:00 GMT report, Bouwe Bekking and company were still making good speed, tearing along at 13 knots in 13 knots of True Wind Speed. The predicted position software gives them an ETA of late afternoon tomorrow. We can only assume Green Dragon will be close to that as well.
Tom Addis and Jordi Calafat on board Telefonica Blue, on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Qingdao to Rio de Janeiro. Image copyright Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race.
For Green Dragon, the StealthPlay is a good move. If the Dragons are worried that their position in the weather system is making them slow, then Telefonica Blue loses the satisfaction of seeing significant gains with each position report. More significantly, Green Dragon stops broadcasting the wind direction and speed they are seeing, denying important information to the chasing Blue boat.
Green Dragon will return with the 07:00 GMT position report Saturday morning, or when they are within 50 nautical miles of the finish line, whichever comes first. For the Dragon's sake, you know they're hoping they'll be forced to emerge from hiding sooner rather than later...
Green Dragon and Telefonica Blue are both expected to have finished by the end of Saturday afternoon GMT, 28th March.
Volvo Ocean Race
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