Iker and Xabi on board Mapfre. Image copyright Mapfre.
by Helena Paz
On board “MAPFRE”, Iker and Xabi must decide what routing to follow on their approach to Cook Strait to avoid the effects of the high pressure in the zone
The halfway point in the Barcelona World Race has found “MAPFRE” commencing her approach to Cook Strait at a good pace, crossing the Tasman Sea in second place in the rankings and with an important decision to be taken very soon: which routing is best to avoid the ill effects of an anticyclone threatening the top of the fleet?
During the European night-time, with average speeds of 16.5 knots, the “MAPFRE” skippers were the fastest in the fleet. Now they are faced with a tough decision. The high pressure affecting the Tasman Sea and moving towards the strait separating the North and South Islands of New Zealand may bring with it winds as low as below the five-knot mark, according to forecasts.
Although Iker and Xabi usually take it in turns to engage in the videoconferences with the Race Organisers, today both of the “MAPFRE” skippers took part, as they examined the meteorology together given that “over the next few days we will have to make a decision and we are not sure what to do yet. It’s not easy. We’ll push ahead for the time being, but we must come to a decision about what to do,” said Iker Martínez referring to the anticyclone ahead.
Currently on a Northeasterly course, Iker and Xabi have gone from 25 knots blowing a couple of days ago to the approximately 12 knots blowing at the moment: “Ask the internet fans what they think we should do,” joked Iker. “Should we go East or head upwards… I’m sure they’ll know what to do! We could ask one hundred of them and go with the majority!”
Although this morning’s 09:00 GMT position report indicated that “MAPFRE” was the fastest in the fleet and continues to be faster than regatta leader “Virbac Paprec 3”, “Estrella Damm” is moving forward now at a knot faster than the double Olympic champions, although Ribes and Pella continue to drop back from Iker and Xabi, with “MAPFRE”’s lead currently at 147.7 miles.
The halfway point in the race
45 days of racing and the halfway point in this regatta is in the Tasman Sea, with the Olympic champions weighing up the racing so far: “We began a bit chaotically. Later we picked up pace and then things started going well for us,” said the sailor from Hondarribia. “The hardest part has been getting to grips with the meteorology. Sailing the yacht with lots of breeze was also a transition: and I think that we have picked up pace with both a little and lots of breeze and we are pushing forward constantly.”
45 days and 45 nights of racing; sailing the Mediterranean, crossing the Gibraltar Strait, navigating the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and overcoming the doldrums, crossing the Equator itself and the Saint Helena High, then on to the Cape of Good Hope to welcome the revered Indian Ocean, which Iker and Xabi said goodbye to just a day ago to commence their current passage through the Pacific. “Of course we’ve put the boat through a lot, not to mention ourselves, so we will have to start thinking about being more careful with the equipment, the boat and with ourselves.”
GENERAL RANKINGS
Day 45 - 09:00 GMT
1. VIRBAC-PAPREC 3 (Jean Pierre Dick - Loïck Peyron) FRA, 11,930.4 miles from finish
2. MAPFRE (Iker Martínez - Xabi Fernández) ESP, +493.2 miles from leader
3. ESTRELLA DAMM SAILING TEAM (Alex Pella - Pepe Ribes) ESP, +640.2 miles
4. GROUPE BEL (Kito de Pavant - Sebastien Audigane) FRA, +869.1 miles
5. RENAULT Z. E. (Pachi Rivero - Antonio Piris) ESP, +1,443.1 miles
6. MIRABAUD (Dominique Wavre - Michéle Paret) SUI, +1,764.8 miles
7. NEUTROGENA FÓRMULA NORUEGA (Boris Herrmann - Ryan Breymaier) NOR, +1,778.1 miles
8. HUGO BOSS (Wouter Verbraak - Andy Meiklejohn) GBR, +2,011.8 miles
9. GAES CENTROS AUDITIVOS (Dee Caffari - Anna Corbella) GBR/ESP, +2,131.8 miles
10. FÒRUM MARÍTIM CATALÀ (Gerard Marín - Ludovic Aglaor) ESP, +3,739 miles
11. CENTRAL LECHERA ASTURIANA (Juan Merediz - Fran Palacio) ESP, +4,043.8 miles
12. WE ARE WATER (Jaume Mumbrú - Cali Sanmartí) ESP, +4,184.3 miles
** FONCIA (Michel Desjoyeaux - François Gabart) FRA, RACE ABANDONED 26th January
** PRÉSIDENT (Jean le Cam - Bruno García) FRA/ESP, RACE ABANDONED 12th January
Mapfre
Barcelona World Race
