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26 November 2001, 04:53 pm

Flap-Flap

Volvo Ocean Race

Stig Westergaard writes fom onboard Djuice currently in 5th position in the Volvo Ocean Race.

Today, even though, by most land based persons it would be considered a glorious day being sunny and not so windy, doesn't do us much good.

We have absolutely no wind, and had had absolutely no wind or very close to it all through the night. So as a contrast of magnitude compared to our previous days of thunder blasting down waves, we are flapping and flapping. Trying hard to find the smallest gust to bring us forward and closer to our competitors ahead. Both seem difficult as we are set up further to the west, and the wind might come from the east. But then again, with the weather you never know. The prediction is for some wind to settle in during the day, so hopefully we can see Spikes and Nocka's home-turf by sunset. If not we can hope that the sky stays as clear as now, so the moon can do the trick for us instead. Anyhow, it could be great with some visibility as the distance between the island we have to round and the mainland is only three miles.

Today is also the day where we have exposed our legs to the environment for the first time in more than two weeks. And when I finally undressed to take a dive to clear some seaweed of the sail-drive, as our boat doesn't have one of the famous 1000 GBP weed cutters and we have to do it the old-fashioned way, I found out that my two weeks hidden legs had taken another pounding. My previous pride, the Finn Dinghy leg of some magnitude had shrunk to a mere office clerk size. Definitely more physical training when we get ashore. Ocean sailing seems to be "upperbodyworkoutextensive" (nice word, ehh).

The days ahead hopefully will bring us through this high ridge and give us some winds from an approaching low, so we can make good progress by spinnaker towards Tasmania. Boy does this boat feel fast down wind. More of that please.

On the medical side, which is my area onboard, not much is going on at present, so I have taken up finding whatever rashes and bruises I can find when the boys expose their body. So far I have only found some fungi infection on Jacques' [Vincent] hand. He refuses to be treated, so we have a bet going. I claim fungi, and he claims dry skin. The result is only one hand being treated and the other being the benchmark. The bet is a dinner at a nice sushi restaurant. Time will show.

Stig Westergaard/News Editor

World Sailing TV

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.