October 22nd
While the fleet entered the Doldrums on October 21, some have now left this inter-tropical zone where anything can happen. Leading the way are Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing and Team Brunel, who chose to go west as soon as they passed Cape Verde. This was a wise decision, as the other five crews are taking it easy, more than 90 miles from the leaders. They are waiting for the slightest breath of wind that could make them leave the Intertropical Convergence Zone. Alvimedica's onboard reporter, Amory Ross, wrote yesterday " Once again, we drift in the dark, without a single ripple on the water with the sails flapping aimlessly." Even those who have already competed in the Volvo Ocean Race and are familiar with the doldrums are in low spirits. It's hard for everyone to have to wait for the wind and go on mile after mile. " We hate playing the lottery. We prefer to act on facts and figures. Sometimes luck is with us, sometimes against us. But in the end, the situation evens out." summarizes Bouwe Bekking, the skipper of Team Brunel.
There are still 6,487 miles left for the crews to reach Cape Town and complete this first leg and everything can still change.
October 23rd
This morning, three crews were officially out of the Doldrums: Abu Dhabi and Brunel to the west and Team Vestas Wind to the east. The others are juggling clouds, calm winds and gusts. As for Team SCA, they are in last place and are stuck in a 5 knot wind.
For the first three crews, sailing is now taking place in better conditions. The wind is stable and around 15 knots. Ian Walker's crew (Team Abu Dhabi) is only 450 miles from the way point of Fernando Noronha and 193 miles from the equator, which they should cross in a little over 10 hours. The score is very close and the leading trio is fighting for first place in the ranking.
