Strong winds put Volvo start in peril

February 17, 2012 | 17:05

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Cyclone-strength winds in the South China Sea have forced Volvo Ocean Race organisers to consider delaying a leg start for the first time, according to a race official.

This file photo shows yachts competing at the start of the Volvo Ocean Race off the coast of Alicante, last November. Cyclone-strength winds in the South China Sea have forced Volvo Ocean Race organisers to consider delaying a leg start for the first time, according to a race official.

The fleet of six yachts is to set sail from China's Sanya on the fourth leg to Auckland on Sunday but the forecast of boat-breaking, 50-knot winds and 10-metre (33-foot) waves could push it back as late as Wednesday.

Weighing heavily on race management is the recollection of the last time the fleet raced through the Luzon Strait between Taiwan and the Philippines in the 2008-2009 season, when three damaged boats were forced out.

"These are conditions capable of breaking a boat in two in a heartbeat,'' said race chief Knut Frostad. "Yes, this is the one of the world's toughest sporting events, but we will not take any unnecessary risks."

The potential postponement has divided the racing camps with leading skipper Iker Martinez, who has the most to lose, among those happy with the idea of pushing the start back.

"The conditions over the first few days look hellish," said Martinez, an Olympic gold medallist for Spain. "You could lose the race right there."

Camper/Team New Zealand's Chris Nicholson has criticised the idea, saying it would jeopardise the race's integrity.

"It should be left to the individual skippers and teams to decide whether to race or not," Nicholson said. "As a skipper you decide how much wind and wave you're prepared to take on and this is just another one of those choices."

Race management will continue to study the forecasts before making a decision at the last minute.

Spain's Telefonica currently lead by 15 points from Camper/Team New Zealand, with France's Groupama in third.

AFP

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