Vi upplevde det i förra upplagan av Ocean Race och nu händer det igen. Kina är inte nådigt vintertid. Nu råder 20 m/s och 8 meter höga vågor. Förhållanden som lätt kan bryta en VO70 i bitar.
Därför skjuts racet upp några timmar. Starten går som planerat 07.00 på söndagen 19 feb. Men när In-Port-sträckan avverkats stannar båtarna och får sedan fortsätta i den ordning de placerade sig efter första “etappen”. Båtarna kommer max att hållas kvar i Kina 24 timmar mer än planerat. Se film där en meteorolog förklarar och se bilder från när båtarna hamnade i oväder förra upplagan av racet…
Foto: Paul Todd. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwROXj-5ICI
Utdrag från pressrelease som publicerats på Volvooceanrace webbplats:
“Race director Jack Lloyd informed the teams on Saturday that Leg 4 to Auckland would be split for reasons of safety after forecasts of unsailable conditions in the South China Sea.
The first stage will start as scheduled at 1400 local time (0600 GMT/UTC) and will see the boats complete an inshore coastal course including a turning mark close to the famous Guanyin Buddha of the South China Sea statue and finishing at the Sanya Bay lighthouse marking the entrance to the Sanya Serenity Marina.
The fleet will then wait until conditions are deemed safe enough for them to sail. The delay will not be for more than 24 hours.
The re-start will be staggered, with the boats leaving in the order they finish Stage 1. No points will be awarded for Leg 4 Stage 1.
“It could be that we re-start the in the hours of darkness on Monday morning,” Lloyd told the teams.
Forecasts of winds gusting above 40 knots and waves of eight metres prompted the decision, according to Race CEO Knut Frostad.
“We will re-start the race some time on Monday and it could be in darkness,” Frostad said. “Our delay will not be more than 24 hours.
“We are doing this because of the weather advice issued by experts both from our own Race HQ in Alicante and the teams’ experts.”
