Start day in Genova
Slow start but early advantage for the home team...
Follow the start of leg 5 - our viewing guide is here: https://www.theoceanrace.com/en/how-to-follow
1800 in Genova - start highlights:
1530 in Genova:
Now it's Allagrande Mapei Racing showing a burst of speed (relatively!!) and sailing past Paprec Arkéa and putting on a show for the home crowd.
1510 in Genova:
As the fleet settles in after the start, it's Paprec Arkéa and Team Malizia pushing forward ahead of Canada Ocean Racing and Allagrande Mapei...
1505 in Genova:
A clean start off the line in Genova. Some close action at the start and Team Malizia and Allagrande Mapei Racing looking strong early...
1430 in Genova:
Race Director Phil Lawrence is reporting winds in the 2 to 5 knot range at the moment... If that continues it will be a slow, but tense start and the sailors search for little puffs of breeze that could translate into a big advantage.
1315 in Genova:
All the boats are at sea, heading to the start area. For the home team, skipper Amborigio Beccaria says his some stopover was a welcome break as he was able to see friends and family despite the pressures on his time. But he quickly switched back into race mode this morning, saying: “This is going to be a very, very long leg into Boka Bay! It looks to be very Mediterranean, with unstable conditions,” he said. “We’ll have plenty of downwind sailing, which will be fantastic, and, as is usual at these latitudes, we’ll go from calm areas to 30 knots. In short, things that only happen in the Mediterranean!! For us, every stage is a race in itself, and obviously, we’ll give our all. If we manage an incredible performance, we could even aim for the podium, with third place overall.”
1200 in Genova:
The sailors are saying there is a big choice to make at the start: head offshore on a more direct route, or back to the coast chasing shore effect breezes. We could see a split in the fleet early on this leg.
1040 in Genova:
Team Holcim PRB's Carolijn Brouwer on the light forecast today: “It won’t be an easy leg because there won’t be much wind from the start. To leave Genoa we’ll have to sail west-southwest almost as far as Mallorca before we can head down. Tactically it will be a difficult leg, especially challenging our navigator Nico Lunven."
And on whether this leg is a sprint or a marathon: “We have all the potential on board, but we’ll need to sustain it over time. This leg will be on average twice as long as the ones we’ve done so far. We must not put all our effort into the first half of the leg. Those who manage to stay fresh until the very end will win. We’ll be careful to spread our energy throughout the whole race. I’m very confident. I know we can achieve a very good result."
1000 in Genova:
The forecast is for light winds - near 5 knots - from the south at start time of 1500 local time today. Some of the sailors were joking yesterday that the start will be so slow we may still see their boats in the Bay of Genova tomorrow morning!! It doesn't seem like it will be that bad, but it will be a light wind start, with a very small chance of a more significant sea breeze coming up.
0930 in Genova:
Biotherm has a new crew list. Spanish sailor Carlos Manera Pascual is joining the team, replacing Sam Goodchild, who has been caught up by a very busy schedule this autumn.
Paul Meilhat comments on the choice:
“You don’t replace a Sam with another Sam! Carlos has a different profile, but one that suits us perfectly. He ticks a lot of boxes: Mini sailor, foiling, experience both in crewed and solo sailing. The solo sailing aspect is essential, because with four people on an IMOCA, everyone needs a high level of autonomy. Carlos is very versatile, and the idea is also not to put pressure on him but to keep him confident. For this leg, it will therefore naturally be Amélie who takes on the responsibility for navigation and strategy.”
0845 in Genova:
It's start day in Genova - sunny, very warm, but not very much wind in the forecast. Start time is 1500 this afternoon. Teams will take place in media mixed zone and the sailor's parade at Ocean Live Park in Porto Antico before leaving the dock for the longest leg of the race.
