BOSTON (16 maj 2009) – Dimma, en starter som var för snabb på avtryckaren och en inkommande oljetanker gjorde att starten av etapp sju av Volvo Ocean Race blev ovanligt händelserik. På lördagen lämnade de sju båtarna Boston och om en dryg vecka bör de vara i mål i Galway på den irländska västkusten.
Fösta starten gick bra för de två Ericsson-båtarna, men eftersom starter hade skjutit 50 sekunder för tidigt kallades båtarna tillbaka och starten fick göras om. Synd för det svenska teamet för vid andra försöket kom Ericsson 4 iväg som båt nummer fyra medan Ericsson 3 kom iväg som sexa, eller näst sist.
Troligen väntar nu en ganska kylig etapp, åtminstone till en början, med temperaturer ner mot två tre plusgrader. Det är till och med kallare än när båtarna rundade Kap Horn för någon månad sedan.
– Du får aldrig underskatta en atlantsegling. Även om det är en kort etapp på cirka åtta dagar så kommer det att bli tufft. Vi kommer att få det kallt, kanske problem med isberg, fiskebåtar, dimma och mycket annat, säger Ericsson 3:s rorsman Thomas Johanson.
När båtarna väl kom iväg på lördagen så försvann de snabbt in i dimman i Bostons inre hamn och de tusentals åskådarna på Fan Pier i central Boston kunde bara gissa vad som hände där ute på sjön. När båtarna sedan skulle runda ett märke kom en stor oljetanker och la sig i vägen så en av båtarna fick vänta innan den kunde runda märket.
– Vi väntar oss lite av det mesta under den här etappen. Men vi vet att det kommer att bli kallt och blött. De första 30 timmarna kommer vi att få vara med om superblöt racing, till på köpet i dimma och en vattentemperatur på ett par grader, sade Ericsson 3:s vaktkapten Richard Mason.
Länk: www.ericssonracingteam.com
Bilden:
Starten i Boston. Foto samtliga bilder: Oskar Kihlborg/ERT.
Den engelska pressreleasen från race office:
Across the Atlantic
Posted: 15 May 2009 11:43 AM PDT
The Volvo Ocean Race fleet is ready to face the North Atlantic for leg seven as the teams make their final preparations ahead of Saturday’s start. The transatlantic crossing is weighing heavily on the minds of the skippers. As Ian Walker said, “these could be the hardest miles we sail.”
The race start is scheduled for 13:00 local time in Boston Harbor (17:00 GMT), with the starting line directly off the race village at Fan Pier in Boston. The fleet will make a loop of the harbour before heading out to sea to Galway, some 2,500 nautical miles away.
At the skipper’s press conference ahead of the start, local hero Ken Read promised his PUMA team, currently standing third on the leaderboard, would put their best foot forward, in an effort to earn their first victory of the race.
“As always, our goal is to win this leg,” he said. “It’s no different to any other leg. We know what the score is, and it’s our job to make up some of the difference.”
PUMA had the pressure of a homecoming on the leg into Boston, but that burden now shifts to Green Dragon. Skipper Ian Walker says the team is definitely aware of the significance of the leg, but says they won’t let it get to them.
“For us to get back to Galway and Ireland is a major milestone for this project. It’s probably the most important thing that we can do, to sail that boat into Galway,” he said.
But when asked if the team would be making an extra effort to secure a strong finish into their home port, he was sanguine: “We were last into Boston and we don’t want to repeat that…I’m proud of the fact that the team has stuck together through the disappointments. But for us to try any harder on this leg would do disservice to all the other legs. We try our hardest all the time.”
Torben Grael, skipper of the overall race leader, Ericsson 4, cautioned that this leg could be a brutal one.
“We don’t underestimate the leg. Last race (in 2006), when we left New York, the leg was a very hard one, much worse than people were predicting. So it’s good to be prepared for anything when you have a leg like this.”
His counterpart on Ericsson 3, Magnus Olsson, who has led his team to a win and second place finish in the last two legs, is a veteran of the race, and has many transatlantic crossings under his belt. Too many to count apparently: “I don’t know, 30 or 40 perhaps…it’s a nice place!”
Bouwe Bekking on Telefonica Blue spoke of the importance of teamwork on board his boat: “It’s a team sport. It doesn’t matter if you’re the skipper or navigator or helmsman or media man, everybody has to work as hard as possible. We’ll go for it and try to win.”
Telefonica Black skipper Fernando Echavarri said the forecast to begin the leg gave his team confidence: “For our boats, I think it’s going to be good conditions until the scoring gate – reaching in light to medium conditions. Later on, we will try to arrive in Galway in one piece as it could be very tough conditions. We’ll be working as hard as possible to get to Galway in a good position.”
Delta Lloyd’s Roberto ‘Chuny’ Bermudez also spoke of the excitement of returning to Europe. “We are a European team so for us it’s a matter of coming back home after many, many miles,” he said. “So the team is very happy to be heading for home. But still, there are many miles left to fight with these guys. We need to try to get good results, it’s important for us.”
The Mayor of Galway was on hand at the skippers’ press conference today to extend his welcome, in advance, to the teams. Mayor Padraig Conneely told the teams his city was very proud to be hosting the Irish stopover.
“We’re a cultural city, an old maritime city, renowned for art and culture and sport as well. Our dock area is right in the centre of the city, and I know you’re going to enjoy yourselves. I wish you all the very best of luck, and the city will be on full alert to welcome you.”
The start of leg seven of the Volvo Ocean Race will take place in Boston Harbor, off Fan Pier, at 13:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Saturday.
There will be audio commentary streamed on www.volvooceanrace.org
Besättningslistorna:
DELTA LLOYD
1. Roberto Bermúdez De Castro/ESP – skipper
2. Wouter Verbraak/NED – navigator
3. Sander Pluijm/NED – media crew member
4. Stuart Wilson/NZL – watch captain
5. Nick Bice/AUS – watch captain
6. Andre Fonseca/BRA – helmsman
7. Ben Costello/NZL – helmsman
8. Ed Van Lierde/NED – trimmer
9. David Pella/ESP – trimmer
10. Gerd-Jan Poortman/NED – bowman
11. Morgan White/AUS – bowman
No crew changes
ERICSSON 4
1. Torben Grael/BRA – skipper
2. Jules Salter/GBR – navigator
3. Guy Salter/GBR – MCM
4. Brad Jackson/NZL – watch captain
5. Stu Bannatyne/NZL – watch captain
6. Dave Endean/NZL – pitman
7. Horacio Carabelli/BRA – trimmer
8. Tony Mutter/NZL – trimmer
9. Joao Signorini/BRA – trimmer
10. Ryan Godfrey/AUS – bowman
11. Phil Jameson/NZL – bowman
No crew changes
ERICSSON 3
1. Magnus Olsson/SWE – skipper
2. Aksel Magdahl/NOR – navigator
3. Gustav Morin/SWE MCM
4. Thomas Johansson/FIN – helmsman/trimmer
5. Richard Mason/NZL – watch captain
6. Eivind Melleby/NOR – helmsman
7. Arve Roaas/NOR – trimmer/helmsman
8. Martin Strömberg/SWE – trimmer
9. Jens Dolmer/DEN – pitman
10. Anders Dahlsjö/SWE – bowman
11. Martin Krite/SWE – bowman
On: Arve Roaas/NOR – trimmer/helmsman
Off: Magnus Woxén/SWE – trimmer
GREEN DRAGON
1. Ian Walker/GBR – skipper
2. Ian Moore/IRL – navigator
3. Guo Chuan/CHN – MCM
4. Neal McDonald/GBR – watch captain
5. Damian Foxall/IRL – watch captain
6. Anthony Merrington/AUS – helmsman/trimmer
7. Phil Harmer/AUS – helmsman/trimmer
8. Andrew Mclean/NZL – pitman/trimmer
9. Ian Budgen/GBR – helmsman/trimmer
10. Justin Slattery/IRL – bowman
11. Freddy Shanks/GBR – bowman
On: Ian Budgen/GBR – helmsman/trimmer
Off: James Carroll/IRL – pitman/trimmer
PUMA
1. Ken Read/USA – skipper
2. Andrew Cape/AUS – navigator
3. Rick Deppe/GBR MCM
4. Sidney Gavignet/FRA – watch captain
5. Robert Greenhalgh/GBR – watch captain
6. Robert Salthouse/NZL – helmsman/trimmer
7. Justin Ferris/NZL – helmsman/trimmer
8. Erle Williams/NZL – helmsman/trimmer
9. Shannon Falcone/ANT – bowman/pitman
10. Casey Smith/AUS – bowman/helmsman
11. Michael Müller/GER – helmsman/bowman
No crew changes
TELEFÓNICA BLUE
1. Bouwe Bekking/NED – skipper
2. Tom Addis/AUS – navigator
3. Gabriele Olivo/ITA – MCM
4. Iker Martinez/ESP – helmsman
5. Jonathan Swain/RSA – watch captain
6. Jordi Calafat ESP – helmsman
7. Xabier Fernandez/ESP – trimmer
8. Pablo Arrarte/ESP Spanish – trimmer
9. Laurent Pages/FRA – helmsman
10. Daryl Wislang/NZL – bowman
11. Pepe Ribes/ESP – bowman
On: Iker Martinez/ESP – helmsman
Off: Simon Fisher/GBR- strategist/helmsman
TELEFÓNICA BLACK
1. Fernando Echávarri/ESP – skipper
2. Roger Nilson/SWE – navigator
3. Anton Paz/ESP – MCM
4. Antonio (Ñeti) Cuervas-Mons/ESP – bowman
5. Gonzalo Araujo/ESP – watch captain
6. Jaime Arbones/ESP – watch captain
7. Pablo Iglesias/ESP – helmsman
8. Javier de la Plaza/ESP – helmsman
9. David Vera/ESP – trimmer
10. Maciel Cicchetti/ARG – trimmer
11. Michael Pammenter/RSA – bowman
No crew changes
