AMERICAN solo ocean racer Brad Van Liew today made it two wins from two ocean sprints as he sailed into Wellington, New Zealand, to claim victory in second sprint of the VELUX 5 OCEANS solo round the world yacht race. For the 42-year-old from Charleston, South Carolina, it brought to an end a gruelling month-long slog through the Southern Ocean from Cape Town in South Africa alone on his Eco 60 yacht Le Pingouin.
To go east, or not to go east – that is the question facing the VELUX 5 OCEANS skippers as they approach the south of New Zealand, less than 1,000 nautical miles from the finish line in Wellington. After four gruelling weeks at sea sailing through one of the most inhospitable oceans in the world, the end might be in sight for the tired ocean racers but the race is by no means over.
The second sprint of the VELUX 5 OCEANS is looking like it will go down to the wire in an exhilarating climax to the 7,000 nautical mile leg. After 26 days of full-on solo racing through the Southern Ocean, and with 1,000 nautical miles left to the finish line in Wellington, New Zealand, the leading ocean racers are separated by just 300 nautical miles.
American ocean racer Brad Van Liew sailed into Cape Town to claim victory in the first ocean sprint of the VELUX 5 OCEANS. The 42-year-old from Charleston, South Carolina, blasted across the finish line in Table Bay at 5.51pm local time (3.51pm UTC) doing 10-12 knots in a 15-knot wind.
Two of the Eco 60 sailing yachts, the Brad Van Liew’s Eco 60 sailing yacht Le Pingouin and Garry Golding’s Oz sailing yacht have taken onto waters after their makeover and are ready for the Velux 5 Oceans Race.