Saturday 24 January 2009

VOR: TELEFÓNICA BLACK LEG FOUR DAY 5 QFB: received 22.01.09 1601 GMT


Telefonica Black repair their J2 sail, on leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Singapore to Qingdao, China. Image copyright Mikel Pasabant/Telefonica Black/Volvo Ocean Race.

by Mikel Pasabant

It has been a very busy day today, and it has not ended yet. The guys are inside the bow of the ‘Demonio’, still repairing a ripped J2, so imagine the difficulties on such a bumpy road! But they are doing a great job.

Apart from that, we have been dealing with continuous wind changes in direction and speed, so the work on deck has been extenuating. We have lost the lead, but the final approach to the waypoint next to Manila promises to be really tight for the leading pack. Right now, we are involved in another of the countless tacks in this upwind leg. Fighting hard and with spirits high as always in the TELEFÓNICA NEGRO!

Anecdote: bad luck for Javi (Javier de la Plaza/ESP) tonight, as his shin encountered a new item on deck with the result of some pain and a couple of filthy words! And not to forget the ‘attack of the flying fish’, much bigger than any seen before in other seas.

So, with our Roger, as any navigator in the world would, enjoying sailing in this part of the world with less-than-reliable charts, we will see what tomorrow brings.

Volvo Ocean Race

No comments: