Despite one broken mast and a crash with an iceberg, the VOR fleet has escaped the Southern Ocean reasonably unscathed. But what lies ahead as the fleet heads up the coast of Argentina to Rio?

Following a week of being thrown around the iceberg-littered Southern Ocean, most of the VOR yachts have rounded Cape Horn and are now on the final 2000-mile stretch to Rio de Janeiro. illbruck was first reach the South American turning point and has managed to pull away from the following pack by catching the 8 knot tidal stream in the channel which runs between the eastern tip of Argentina and Isla de los Estrados. The rest of the fleet however, missed the gate and in the light airs, struggled to make headway and have closed up on each other.

Although illbruck has a reasonably safe 60-mile lead and she has a distinct speed advantage on windy, reaching legs, her position is still incredibly vulnerable. The conditions up the east coast of South America are looking variable and it’s here where good tactical decisions rather than pure boat speed will be the key to success. There is currently a low pressure system building over the easterly tip of Argentina which should provide some stronger headwinds. Although illbruck has the advantage, it will be interesting to see if they take the decision to cover the fleet or chose their own route and risk being overtaken by the pursuing Amer Sports One.

Team SEB who broke her mast last Thursday is currently limping towards Punta Arenas in Chile where she will be lifted out and shipped to Rio to collect her replacement mast. Simple that may sound but it has every possibility of turning in to a logistical nightmare. For a start, the ship won’t arrive in Rio until 24-25 February which gives exactly 12 days for the crew to step a new mast, recover from the tough Southern Ocean leg and prepare for leg 5 which starts on 9 March.

The initial plan to stop off at Ushuaia to collect a new mast, flown in from Sweden, had to be changed because of a logistical problem. Apparently it was an impossibility to land an aeroplane large enough to carry a VOR mast at the air strip in Ushuaia. SEB then had to change course under jury rig and head for Punta Arenas.

It’s interesting that there seems to have been no contingency plan organised for such an eventuality particularly in this high-risk, mast-breaking area of the Southern Ocean. It’s now taken four days for a final decision to be made as to where the boat should head for assistance. Had research been carried out about beforehand and a contingency plan to hand, the chances of SEB being fully prepared for the next leg would have greatly increased.