Gabriele Olivo / Volvo Ocean Race
There is no time to have a sail in the area where we will do the inshore race on Sunday, but I am not too worried about that ...
Friday 19 June 2009, 08:50 GMT
Telefonica Blue - Bouwe Bekking (Skipper)
We have been teasing Daryl (Wislang) over the last 24 hours. Why? Because he is the only one of the crew sailing the boat back to Spain after the race is finished.
We told him the wind is always coming from this direction, and most of the time with more pressure and that the current is most likely to change direction as well, so that it is against them.
This will mean a slow beat all the way to Kiel. Talking about the current, we have been dodging all the way current against us, in some places it was running over three knots, but luckily we have kept some breeze, so progress has been OK.
On Saturday we most likely lift the boat quickly out of the water, to have a good look at the repair we did and to adjust the rollers on the canard, as it is running a bit stiff.
Our inshore grinders have prepared the sails already for the inshore on Sunday, so most of our guys will have a day off. There is no time to have a sail in the area where we do the inshore race on Sunday, but I am not too worried about that.
I have been sailing a lot on lakes, and know what to expect. It will be very shifty and puffy, and scenarios were one minute you look good and the next minute your position might look terrible will appear.
So we start with a clean sheet of paper, and try keep our track record of podium places going, of course the best will be winning the last one.
33 miles to go to Almagrundet, the light house where we turn the corner into the finish. Let's hope we keep the wind pressure, to get this horrible leg over as quickly as possible!
Bouwe
Received 08:50 GMT