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Team Veritas Software to tackle the Southern Ocean
Author: Babs Day
Team VERITAS Software news and highlights
The crew of Team VERITAS Software racing in the BT Global Challenge are about to face the toughest leg of the race as they leave Buenos Aires this Sunday, bound for Wellington, New Zealand. The fleet will round Cape Horn, and head into the inhospitable Southern Ocean where they will be racing for approximately five weeks over Christmas and New Year.
Conditions at sea will be the most extreme the crew have faced so far, as the winds in this exposed stretch of water regularly reach storm force and beyond. Being so close to the South Pole, the water temperature is only a degree or two above zero, and with air temperatures of around the same, the wind chill can drop temperatures to minus thirty or even lower.
Team VERITAS Software has completed the first two legs of the Challenge, and has sailed the length and breadth of the Atlantic. They have already had to deal with the immense winds of Hurricane Michael which hit the fleet soon after they left Boston, but understand that they will now face long periods of strong winds and tough conditions. Skipper Will Carnegie commented:
"The Southern Ocean has some of the wildest weather in the world, so the sailing will be very physical. It is normal for the temperatures to fall well below zero, and hurricane force winds are fairly commonplace, so we will rotate the watches so that there are only three people on deck for
periods of 20 minutes unless we are executing a sail change. I have confidence that the team will pull together to finish the leg safely and in the best position we can, and I am comfortable that the boat is sturdy and has been built to stand up to the rigours of the Southern Ocean.
As a team, we are feeling confident after the first two legs, but I think the Southern Ocean will be totally different to the Atlantic. The Atlantic was probably more taxing mentally than physically as we had to deal with the doldrums. There were times when we were stuck in a hole with no wind for a considerable time, and it's easy to think that someone else has wind when you don't. It takes a lot of strength to keep focussed."
Team VERITAS is in seventh place overall, only nine points behind the leader LG FLATRON.
To read highlights straight from the crew, log on to www.veritas.com/btchallenge
Overall positions:
More Information:
- www.veritas.com
- YachtsandYachting.com BT Global Challenge Page
- BT Challenge Website
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