Camper second to Miami after intense racing battle
American boat Puma outran Team New Zealand in the latest leg, Duncan Johnstone reports.
Sleep was the top priority for Team New Zealand’s round-the-world crew after they celebrated a strong showing in the arduous sixth leg to Miami.
Camper finished second, an hour behind Puma after an intense battle all the way from Brazil. The result has thrown the Volvo Ocean Race wide open, with frontrunners Telefonica and Groupama suffering on this latest leg.
Seventeen points cover the top four boats, with three legs to go.
After having virtually no stopover in Brazil because of their late arrival after repair work in Chile, the Camper crew were relishing the prospect of a few days off in Miami where the action doesn’t start again until May 19 with the in-port race and then the start of the seventh leg to Lisbon the following day.
The intensity of the leg to Miami – from start to finish it was virtually match-racing – meant sleep was a rare commodity. ‘‘I didn’t get a lot [of sleep]. ‘‘I probably got 20 minutes last night. ‘‘It’s been a while since I’ve had a sleep,’’ Camper navigator Will Oxley said after docking in Miami.
Oxley was philosophical about being pipped after almost 18 days at sea.
At one stage yesterday Camper was 400 metres behind Puma but then stalled in light airs and watched the Americans, with the advantage of a current and better wind position, pick up and sail off to victory.
‘‘You can only do the best that you can do. Some races you finish first and think: oh yeah we were pretty lucky; or you finish second and you think you’re pretty lucky, but we finished second and we sailed a really good race. First would have been better but we deserved to be in the top two for sure,’’ Oxley said.
‘‘Puma sailed a very good race, they deserved to win. But we were there all the way and made it interesting for them. Most importantly, the boats that are ahead of us on the leaderboard are behind us on the water.’’
Oxley revealed Camper’s radical decision to split from the fleet early in the leg and hug the American coast was pre-planned. It paid big dividends,
‘‘We’ve been trying to tell you guys (the media) all along that this race is going to be close,’’ Nicholson said.
‘‘I think it’s going to be amazingly tight by the time we get to Europe.
‘‘Hopefully it will be a pretty tough trans-atlantic leg and then hopefully we’re in good shape for the rest of the legs through Europe.’’
Nicholson was proud of Camper’s effort on this leg. ‘‘We got close to taking the lead several times, certainly in the fast running days and even in the light conditions over the last few days.
‘‘There were still opportunities right up to the end. I’m fairly sure Puma would be of the opinion that it was never in the bank. I’m feeling pretty good . . .
‘‘We did everything we could with Puma. I think they sailed a brilliant leg but I think we sailed a very good leg as well. To have beaten us took quite an effort from them. I’m quite happy – it was a pretty clear first and second in this race, and it’s been like that really for a large portion of the race.’’
With the luxury of some time, the Camper shore crew will give the boat a thorough overhaul and have it ready for the in-port race which has suddenly gained added significance.