Yachting: Camper hopes to make a move

CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand. Photo / Supplied

On day 15 of leg one of the Volvo Ocean Race Team New Zealand boat Camper is continuing to play "follow the leader" but is eyeing opportunities to shake up the leader board.

As the fleet closes in on Cape Town in South Africa a complicated weather scenario presents a range of potential passing lanes in the final few stages of the leg.

Camper remains in third place but has slipped slightly over the past 24 hours to be 175 miles behind race leader Telefonica.

The weather systems normally associated with the South Atlantic are not as dominant as they traditionally are offering potential for Camper to make up ground on the two leading boats Telefonica and Puma.

Co-skipper Stu Bannatyne said a late chance to shake things up looks likely.

"We along with the other boats should hook into a front shortly and this will deliver fast and furious sailing, but it doesn't look like anybody can ride that front all the way to Cape Town.

"Once the front runs out of puff there's a final band of light winds to cross in the last 400 miles. This could open the race up at the very end as the fleet compresses into the light air ridge.

"Recent times have seen us in a bit of a procession - essentially follow the leader in fairly steady trade winds. With these boats so evenly matched it's always going to be difficult pulling in a 100 mile plus deficit in those sort of conditions.

"But the type of conditions developing off Cape Town and the tricky approach that they will deliver might just present the opportunities that we need."