SAILING VOLVO OCEAN RACE: HOWLING WIND through the eight rigs lined up alongside the dock in Alicante on Saturday created an eerie tableau as the countdown clock finally elapsed before the start of the of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Many thousands of family, well-wishers, race fans and the plain curious jammed into the event race village bringing the reported total of visitors to the event just under the one million mark in just over two weeks.
As the rain pelted the crowd, dock-lines strained in surge from the near gale conditions blowing outside the port where Bill O'Hara and his team were busy setting the short course - a quick upwind leg, a sprint back to the harbour wall and then, next stop, Cape Town.
Ironically, for an event that had yet to start, tears were flowing freely from children and family members and not a few of the 88 crew-members either. In truth, the real farewells had been said much earlier in the day, in private and away from the cameras and public gaze. But the sense of impending departure was inescapable, mixing with the sense of relief that finally the off had arrived and, with varying measures of sheer pride, dry eyes were in the minority.
Then the PA boomed with 'the voice of the race' as Guy Swindells announced the parade of skippers and each joined his team on the dock. Before the blessing of the boats by the Bishop of Alicante-Orihuela, King Juan Carlos of Spain arrived amid tight security to greet the fleet, pausing at the Green Dragon to joke with skipper Ian Walker against whom he had sailed on Bribon during the MedCup season last year.
And then a long pause, expectation quickly overtaken as the crews slipped their dock-lines and headed for open water. First Team Russia, Andreas Hannakamp's crew including Cork's Jeremy Elliott all waving furiously.
Then Ger O'Rourke's "Irish originated, Dutch Team Delta Lloyd" with Irish, Dutch and, needless to add, Munster colours fluttering from the safety rail on the stern. After Ericsson 3, it was the Green Dragon's turn and with a few grins and last minute cuddles from the babies and small children on the dock, they were off. With the boats gone and dock empty, the wind eased. But the crowds kept on arriving with queues of several hundred forming to gain entry to the race village even though the best vantage points were from the piers outside, the Postiguet beach nearby or for the lucky few, a hotel balcony.
In the two-hour build-up to the starting signal, the Ocean Race was at its peak of excitement. A taste of things to come, perhaps in Galway next May when the race comes to town for the deciding stages of the 39,000-mile course.
If Alicante is a measure, the benchmark can be recognised from the banners of thanks flown as they left the dock in recognition of probably the best organised facility yet. And if the weather had been a deterrent, perhaps on safety grounds in the tricky swell outside the harbour, it was simply an added bonus to see the incredible performance of boat-speed and sail handling by the crews as they surfed past Alicante in rapid-fire succession on their journey around the world.
Fast conditions give way to more sedate sailing in Alicante
THE fast sailing conditions enjoyed by the Volvo Ocean Race fleet on their first full day at sea have given way to more sedate sailing as light and flukey breezes made for a tactical exit from the Mediterranean Sea last night.
True to pre-race billing, both Ericsson teams have opened up a significant lead in the eight-boat fleet as they passed though the Strait of Gibraltar yesterday afternoon, almost neck and neck and enjoying a 37-mile advantage.
That gain was achieved not through significant boatspeed but simply from a shrewd tactical move that saw the two team-mates sail close to the Spanish coast where they were able to benefit from an evening breeze.
A more conservative move from a pack of three boats led by Ireland's Green Dragon also headed towards the coast and made gains though not to the same extent as the Ericsson sisterships.
In spite of being almost becalmed at one point, Green Dragon skipper Ian Walker was pleased with progress and their position as third boat on the water. "Despite a series of problems at the start you would have to say that it has been a good 24 hours," he said.
The Green Dragon had appeared to lag significantly behind the fleet at the start, getting caught on the back end of the starting line that allowed the fleet to make a getaway and later appearing slow in manoeuvres.
By the first mark, Walker was battling Ger O'Rourke's "Irish originated, Dutch Team Delta Lloyd" for last place until the newer boat started picking up speed and gained four places.
One of those problems was a keel issue that is currently unresolved and appears to have slowed boat-handling though is not thought to be a safety concern.
O'Rourke, meanwhile, made a clean start to the round the world race as he and his crew continue to learn their newly refurbished boat.
Within an hour of the start, the boats were launching down waves at speeds well over 20 knots as the wind gusted to 30 knots and hail pelted all on deck though all were all ready well soaked from the tonnes of water crashing across the decks.
From the pictureques Isle Tabarca south of Alicante, the fleet began the stretch towards the gateway to the Med and onwards to the open ocean before the wind finally ran out.
Around this point, a loud bang was heard on Telefonica Blue, the Spanish favourite and winner of the In-Port racing as one of their twin rudders broke its steering system.
A repair job at sea last night was being tested to see whether a 12-hour pitstop would be needed though the damage has already cost the team valuable time.
Up front, Ericsson 3 held a narrow lead passing Gibraltar but, still carrying a penalty for an illegal keel, is likely to swap this first for second or lower depending on their performance over the next three weeks.
