Ericsson 4, not for the first time on this leg, have given the fleet the slip, making gains in the wind treacle of the Doldrums courtesy of a rain shower.
By the 16:00 GMT Position Report, their advantage over their Nordic cousins on E3, hovering under 10 miles for the past few days, was out to 49.
Torben Grael’s men still have over 100 miles to travel before they are out of the mire and just under 800 to Cochin. The rest of the pack, split east-west across the course, are arm wrestling in under two knots of flukey breeze.
Bunching up behind E3 and occupying the middle ground are Green Dragon (+58) and PUMA (+66) while Delta Lloyd (+73) have jumped Telefonica Blue (+77), the furthest west of the pack.
Team Russia (+105), gambling on the eastern flank, have outgunned Telefonica Black (+128) who, like their sistership, are nursing a broken daggerboard.
The road ahead is paved with potholes, according to Kosatka skipper, Andreas Hanakamp. “The future looks grim, endless calms spreading all over the Northern Indian Ocean,” he said. “The sailing is very intense as the boat requires a lot of attention to squeeze every possible knot out of the light winds.”
The intensity is also palpable on Telefonica Blue, according to skipper Bouwe Bekking. "We are in the Doldrums, big towering clouds are everywhere around us and we are trying to find our best way through it," he said. "We are sweating and working hard to squeeze everything out of our boat."
Aksel Magdahl, Ericsson 3’s navigator, thought he had the tactical bases covered overnight, before Grael’s men stole a march.
The strategy, he reasoned, was to protect the east for the Doldrums crossing by lining up in their stablemate’s wake, along with PUMA.
When daylight broke, so did Grael.
”We were all close, with E4 a few miles ahead and PUMA a few miles behind. E4 disappeared into a solid rain shower, and two position reports later they are now 30 miles ahead of us,” he said.
'The relationship between crew and Media Man can be strained at times'
”Now we have come to a painful complete stop. 0.00 on the boat speed instrument on the mast. Some guys go for a swim.” So, there are upsides to the drudgery.
The approach to the Doldrums also signalled bath time for Team Russia’s Media Crew Member Mark Covell. If tales of grown men baring their souls – and their backsides – is not your thing, look away now.
“We have already had our first heavy tropical rain. Warm, refreshing and forcing a sail change,” Covell’s account began. “It was pitch black and as the crew worked quickly.
"I stripped butt naked and popped out of the aft deck hatch like Marilyn Monroe appearing out of the President’s birthday cake. With soap, razor and shampoo in hand, I whipped up a total body lather from tip to toe.
"Suddenly the rain came to an abrupt stop. I was now stood in my birthday suit on the aft deck in the pitch black looking like Shaun the Sheep before he was shorn. The boat starts to heal up, the speed starts to build. I am now faced with needing to get water, any water to get free of my soapy fleece. I dash forward and grab a bailer and a harness.
"Just imagine the scene as I nonchalantly teetered past a working Volvo Ocean Race Crew in nothing but an offshore safety harness, with crotch strap fitted, covered in foaming soap looking like Mr Whippy on the way to a bondage party. The only thing that I could come up with as they looked on in disbelief was ‘good work lads, keep it up’.
”They certainly didn’t say the same phrase back to me. The relationship between crew and Media Man can be strained at times. I didn’t see this one coming and nor did they.”
Image: Guy Salter/Ericsson 4/Volvo Ocean Race