Article by Agathe Armand Photo by Amory Ross/Team Alvimedica/Volvo Ocean Race
It has been a long leg for Team Alvimedica, and a slow, never-ending finish at sunset, in Abu Dhabi waters.
The Turkish/American boat did lead the race early on, stopped to assist Team Vestas Wind when their competitors hit a reef north of Mauritius, resumed racing and caught up with Team SCA and MAPFRE.
But they were finally overtaken by the Spanish team and ended the leg in a painful drift across the Gulf.
“This leg has had its ups and downs and we definitely need to work on our consistency,” admits Charlie Enright, the skipper.
“But we’ve got a good plan in place and we’ll work on the best way to achieve it.”
For the youngest crew in the race, this leg was all about learning. Learning about the race – four of them are rookies, learning about their boat, learning about their performance at sea.
“We’ve had a lot of time together and conversations naturally evolved from the fun things to our performance,” explains Amory Ross, the Onboard Reporter.
“We’re happy about boat speed. We know we’re competitive in a straight line; we just need to know where to point the bow. It’s not a personal problem or a chemistry issue. Our greatest attribute is we’re a young group of guys looking to improve.”
They’ve learned about the reality of the race too, and its ruthlessness.
“The Vestas incident is something that will stick with us for a long time,” sighs Mark Towill, who admits feeling “a bit mentally drained.”
Having suspended racing for 9.5 hours to provide assistance to the blue boat, the Alvimedica guys can now apply for redress.
“And we’ve just been bleeding miles to MAPFRE these past days,” adds Mark. “Yes, a little down, but excited to wrap this up and prepare for the next leg.”
Charlie and his eight teammates are now looking forward to debriefing properly in Abu Dhabi. Some are heading home; others are staying in the Emirates before the next leg.
“Part of us want to start Leg 3 tomorrow,” concludes the 30-year old skipper, “but it will be good to have some time to rest and reflect. We’re excited about where we are. It’s just a matter of refining some small things.”
Team Alvimedica finish time: 13 29 23 UTC / Elapsed time: 024d 21h 29m 23s
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