Yachting: Round-the-world boats on their way to the USA

1.00pm

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – In steamy heat with a light 10-knot sea breeze, the fifth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet began from Rio de Janeiro at 5.30am today (NZT).

A fleet of about a thousand spectator boats caused the racers to tack several times to find clear air.

In unpredictable gusts the lead changed many times, with first boat out of the blocks, djuice, being overtaken by the women's team on Amer Sports Two for a fleeting moment of glory and some loud cheers from their many supporters.

Next to push their green bow in front on left hand pressure was illbruck who were eventually overtaken on the right by Amer One and djuice with Tyco making the biggest gains, leapfrogging from seventh to second.

Eventually after almost two hours of racing, Amer Sports One led the fleet into open waters followed by djuice, Team Tyco and illbruck.

By 9am (NZT) the order of the fleet was Tyco, djuice, and illbruck.

The 4,450 mile leg to Miami, Florida is expected to take about 18 days.

The course takes the boats out of Rio de Janeiro east to the southeast corner of Brazil at Cabo Frio.

"This short bit will be tricky coastal sailing with a possible battle between a southerly sea breeze and northeast winds around the South Atlantic high," illbruck Challenge Meteorologist Chris Bedford said.

Once east of Cabo Frio, the course turns almost due north and parallels the east coast of Brazil north to Recife and then Cabo Calcanhar.

"On this trip north, winds will veer from northeast to east and eventually southeast. The selection of the proper course is tricky. The navigators must decide how far offshore to remain, staying clear of the coastal effects while staying out of the Brazilian Current which flows toward the south and could significantly slow down a boat on its northward route."

Once clear of the northeast corner of Brazil, the boats must negotiate the doldrums, a region of light winds and frequent showers and squalls.

"Fortunately, the doldrums are relatively narrow on the course the boats will be sailing."

After picking their way from cloud to cloud across the doldrums, the boats will turn on a course toward the northwest hoping to be the first to pick up the northeast trade winds of the tropical north Atlantic Ocean.

About the round-the-world race
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Volvo Ocean Adventure