Volvo Ocean Race: Four Hundred Miles to the Finish

June 25th, 2009

It was like the end of a school term at the skippers’ press conference in Stockholm today as the Volvo Ocean Race fleet prepares to tackle leg ten, a final, short, sprint to the overall finish line in St. Petersburg.

By: Gustav Morin/Ericsson 3/Volvo Ocean Race
By: Rick Tomlinson/Volvo
By: Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race.

Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race.
Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race
Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race.



With just 400 miles remaining in a race around the world that measures over 37,000 nautical miles, and the leaderboard almost entirely decided, the finish line – the real one – is now in sight.

One leaderboard duel does remain. With a maximum of eight points available to the winner of the leg, PUMA leads Telefónica Blue by 6.5 points in the battle to finish second overall in the race.

The forecast is promising for the start on Thursday afternoon. A light northeasterly breeze of 8-10 knots is expected. But, as the leg progresses, the wind is forecast to ease. It could be a long 400 miles.

“This weather forecast is not perfect for us,” said PUMA skipper Ken Read. “We don’t want it to turn into a light air crap shoot because anything can happen that way. Telefónica can go and win the leg by 100 miles if they want; (but) we just have to beat one boat.”

“I think, realistically, they have sewn it up,” countered Telefónica Blue skipper Bouwe Bekking. “But it’s yacht racing and hopefully they sail the wrong way, come last and we come first. There would be a lot written if that happened. We’ll certainly be pushing hard for a win.”

Also making an appearance at the press conference today was Team Russia skipper Stig Westergaard, who brought the Russian boat, Kosatka, into Stockholm last night. They haven’t competed since leg three and the team is now engaged in a race against time to get rule compliant ahead of the start.

With Ericsson 4 having mathematically won the Volvo Ocean Race on the leg into Stockholm, the rest of the teams are sailing for pride. And, according to Telefónica Black skipper Fernando Echávarri, that will be motivation enough.

“This is the last chance we have to win a leg and we’ll try to do that,” he said. “It’s more about personal pressure and trying to finish with a leg win, rather than pressure on the overall standing. It’s going to be good (weather) conditions for our boats so we’ll try to do our best to arrive in St Petersburg in the top position.”

Ericsson 4 skipper Torben Grael agreed it will be a competitive race: “We all owe it to our sponsors to get a good result and we are all very competitive people. A win is important to us.”

There will be full coverage of the start (web tv and audio commentary) and the leg (including a live race blog) at www.volvooceanrace.org and www.volvooceanrace.tv The start is scheduled for 12:00 GMT on Thursday, with an ETA in St. Petersburg on Saturday morning.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Sailing Competitions, Teams, Volvo Ocean Race | No Comments »

Audi MedCup Circuit Photos

June 16th, 2009






Tags: , , ,
Posted in MedCup, Sailing Competitions, Team New Zealand | 1 Comment »

Ericsson 4 wins the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09

June 16th, 2009

volvo-ocean-race

A third place finish in leg nine has been enough for Ericsson 4 to provisionally win the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09.  The team now has a 13-point lead over PUMA, with just 12 points available in the rest of the race.



“We made a few errors on the leg, but we got what we wanted so we’re pretty happy,” said Ericsson 4 skipper Torben Grael.  “We were very close in Marstrand, but now it’s done. It’s finished. We can really enjoy it.”

It was a good night for PUMA as well.  After a fearsome catfight with the crew of Stockholm-based Ericsson 3, whose crew wanted a win here in front of their home crowd more than anything, PUMA stole victory on the finish line tonight in Sandhamn (an island in the Stockholm archipelago just east of the capital city), and claimed full points for Volvo Ocean Race leg nine.

Today’s win was PUMA’s first leg victory in this 10-leg race, although they have had a good showing during the in-port racing.  Their score of 95 points so far strengthens their second place overall at this stage of the event.

“It feels fantastic and it’s wonderful to be here in Stockholm. We feel a little sad to spoil Ericsson 3’s homecoming, but it’s a great win, and a hard-earned win,” said American skipper Kenny Read.

“Man do we know how to make it hard. I don’t think it has to be this hard, but somehow that’s the only way we seem to have success.  We let them [Ericsson 3] go, on a little squall by lighthouse, and they went from half a mile behind, to overtake us.  We had to battle back, but none of these guys quit. They sailed a great race and it was quite a drag race.

“When we let them get ahead of us at the lighthouse, I think most teams would have quit right there, but adversity seems to be our friend and we got a little break when they got their jib hung up on the radar dome. It’s a great relief to get our first leg win out of the way,” Read said.

Fighting PUMA for second place overall is Telefónica Blue/Bouwe Bekking, who had the terrible misfortune of being grounded on a rock outside Marstrand shortly after the start. The crew expects to complete this leg and be in Stockholm in time to contest the in-port race on Sunday and thereby pile the pressure back on PUMA.

The largely Nordic crew of Ericsson 3, skippered by the hugely popular, Magnus Olsson, and winners of leg five, the longest leg of the race, had to settle for second place tonight, bringing their overall score to 71.5 points.

“It was very close. That was enough tacks for a lifetime. We wanted so badly to win and now Ken Read has destroyed my party. How mad do you think I am? From now on, I’m really going to pick on him,” joked skipper Swedish Magnus Olsson, when he stepped ashore.

The final podium spot went to Ericsson 4, which ensures her overall victory in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09.  Although there is still one leg left to complete before the team crosses the finish for the final time in St Petersburg on 27 June, it is now not possible for them to be beaten.

Skipper Torben Grael said, “We are finishing Ericsson 4’s circumnavigation. The boat was built here and left here nearly a year ago, so she’s back after sailing around the world and winning the race. It couldn’t be any better.

“We have a wonderful crew. A lot of experience. They have been fantastic on the whole leg, the whole race around the world. It’s a pleasure to sail with them and get back to Stockholm in this position,” he said.  Read Ericsson 4’s full race statistics here: http://press.volvooceanrace.org/?p=3030#more-3030

Fourth, fifth and six spots were filled by Telefónica Black, Green Dragon and Delta Lloyd.

Leg Nine Finishing Order Stockholm
1. PUMA
2. Ericsson 3
3. Ericsson 4
4. Telefónica Black
5. Green Dragon
6. Delta Lloyd
7. Telefónica Blue SUSPENDED RACING
8. Team Russia DNS

Overall Leaderboard
1. Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA): 108 points
2. PUMA (Ken Read/USA):  95.0 points
3. Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED): SUSPENDED RACING 86.0 points
4. Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE): 71.5 points
5. Green Dragon (Ian Walker/GBR): 63.0 points
6. Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri/ESP): 47.0
7. Delta Lloyd (Roberto Bermudez/ESP): 38.0 points
8. Team Russia (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT): 10.5 points

For elapsed times, please go to the Data Centre on the official Volvo Ocean Race website: www.volvooceanrace.org/rdc/ and navigate to the Data Tables.  You will find the elapsed times are under Position Data.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in 33th America's Cup | No Comments »

The ‘Emirates Team New Zealand’ wins Marseilles MedCup Trophy

June 15th, 2009

Emirates Team Zealand win their first Audi MedCup Circuit Regatta comprehensively while Roma Mk 2 strike GP42 gold.

Emerging with a sixth from a scrappy, difficult final race which was contested in conflicting breezes Emirates Team New Zealand clinched the Marseille Trophy by 14 points, the biggest regatta winning margin on the Audi MedCup Circuit since Mean Machine won in Portimao in 2007.

Winning four races and never finishing worse than sixth in the ten races here, the Kiwi team skippered by Dean Barker (NZL) with past MedCup winner Ray Davies (NZL) as tactician move  16 points clear at the head of the Audi MedCup TP52 Series standings ahead of defending Circuit champions Quantum Racing (USA).

“It feels better here than losing in Alicante.” Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton deadpanned, “And regattas always feel better a couple of days later, and winning is always just a relief that you did not lose. It is really is nothing more than that.”

In the Audi MedCup GP42 Series a third in the final race ensured that the team on Roma Mk2 skippered by Paulo Cian (ITA) leave France with the Marseille Trophy and head for their native Italy with a lead of four points over Alicante Trophy winners Islas Canarias Peurto Calero on the Audi MedCup Circuit GP42 Series standings

Consistency
Four winning guns for Emirates Team New Zealand were supported by a consistent string of scores, reflecting as much their fortitude as a team, able to come back better from their occasional visits to the lower depths of the fleet. Typical of that, they pulled back to sixth today from eighth in a final race which was afflicted by two very different, breezes tussling for supremacy on either side of the course.

But in their de-brief the Kiwi circuit leaders will consider that their current leading margin belies how close the racing has been here, and in Alicante and reflects Quantum Racing’s two premature starts, and third placed Matador’s headfoil failure in the coastal race.  They have no room for complacency.

Race 10, the final in Marseille
Portugal’s Bigamist staged a remarkable come-from-behind victory with two incredible downwind legs to take their second race win this season. Pedro Mendonca’s crew lie fifth overall on the TP52 Series and finished fourth overall in the regatta.
The Portuguese team from Cascais had to make a penalty turn at the first windward mark after they tacked on the bow of Cristabella (GBR). They rounded the offset mark a distant last but recognised the stronger breeze on the left, contrasting with the collapse on the right, and rounded the leeward turn in fifth. The same tactic on the second run allowed them to pip Pisco Sour (CHI) to win in the final 200 metres of the race.

GP42 Series: Islas Canarias wins the battle, but Roma wins the war
In today’s final day of racing in the GP42 Series, a large 8-point spread between series leader Roma 2 (ITA) and runner-up Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP) was going to make it hard for the Italian team to lose the regatta. There would have to have been two races with Roma getting last place and Canarias first place in both for Roma to lose.

And as unlikely as that would have seemed, at the bottom gate rounding of today’s first race that’s precisely what was happening, as a huge hole in the wind accompanied by a significant shift in direction completely reshuffled the positions in this highly-competitive fleet. Caser-Endesa (ESP), being last around the top mark having been over early at the start, got vaulted into vying for the lead with Canarias, and Roma got shot out the back to having to fight Swing for fifth.

Yet despite this and yet another big shift and drop in pressure on the last run to the finish, Canarias kept their cool, covered the fleet, and coasted to their third win in the series. Roma was able to dig back to third but not before nearly getting rolled by Turismo Madrid (ESP) in the final few metres of this strange race.

Turns out that third was enough to seal the deal for Roma, as even a last place in any second race would go to them in the tie break, having won more races than anyone else. So when race managers could not set a course for Race 2 due to the irregular breeze, the outcome was a fait accompli, and Roma wins her first GP42 Series stage in the Audi
MedCup Circuit.

General classification of the Trophy  in Marseilles:

.1. Team New Zealand (NZL) 1-3-1-2-1-2-4,5-6-1-6 27,5 p.
.2. Quantum Racing (USA) 8-5-2-6-3-1-1,5-3-8-4 41,5
.3. Matador (ARG) 2-6-4-1-2-5-16,5-4-4-3 47,5
.4. Bigamist VII (POR) 5-4-6-3-10-4-10,5-2-10-1 55,5
.5. Bribon VII (ESP) 6-1-5-10-4-8-7,5-5-11-5 62,5
… Artemis (SWE) 7-2-8-5-5-3-13,5-7-3-9 62,5
.7. Synergy (RUS) 3-9-9-7-6-10-6-1-2-10 63
.8. Valars III (RUS) 10-11-3-4-7-6-3-12(1)-6-7 69
.9, Pisco Sour (ITA) 11-7-7-9-11-9-9-8-5-2 78
10. Audi Q8 (ITA) 4-8-10-8-8-11-12-9-7-11 88
11. Cristabella (GBR) 9-10-11-11-9-7-15-10-9-8 99

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in MedCup, Sailing Competitions, Team New Zealand | No Comments »

BMW-Oracle wants next two America’s Cup to be held in Spain

June 8th, 2009

US team Oracle reiterated Thursday its wish that the next edition of the America’s Cup, a multihull duel against defending champion Alinghi of Switzerland, be held in March 2010 in Valencia, Spain.

It also said the following edition of yachting’s premier racing event could also be staged in 2011 or 2012 in Valencia, where Alinghi won the 32nd America’s Cup in July 2007, and has asked its Swiss rivals to aim for this.

This position was expressed by two officials, Oracle spokesman Tom Ehman and the team’s skipper Russell Coutts of New Zealand, to local media Thursday in Valencia, and in a letter sent to Alinghi.

In the letter, Oracle recalled that a US court has ruled that the multihull duel must take place no later than next February in Valencia, or if not there in a location selected by Alinghi by August 8 in the southern hemisphere.

The US team left the door open to a mutual agreement on another location in the northern hemisphere with Alinghi, which said earlier this week that it was studying “various locations” for the duel without giving further details.

Oracle suggested as a mediator for the organization of this duel the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), but said it does not want to change the date for the event.

Ehman and Coutts said that no matter what the outcome of the duel is, Oracle would like the 34th America’s Cup to be held soon in Valencia in its traditional format, involving multiple challengers, in what is a departure from its usual position up until now.

They also indicated that racing events similar to the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series held earlier this year in New Zealand could take place this fall at Valencia.

Oracle also indicated that its “USA” multihulls yacht for the duel will be launched this summer but did not clarify whether the ship the giant trimaran it is modifying in San Diego or a new multihull under construction.

The multihull Alinghi is building in Switzerland is also expected to be launched this summer. Oracle said the rules of the event forbid it from having two masts, as Alinghi proposed in a recent letter.

via AFP.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in 33th America's Cup, AC News, Alinghi, BMW Oracle, Valencia | No Comments »

America’s Cup History

May 27th, 2009

America's Cup
The America’s Cup is the most prestigious regatta and match race in the sport of sailing, and the oldest active trophy in international sport, predating the Modern Olympics by 45 years. The sport attracts top sailors and yacht designers because of its long history and prestige. Although the most salient aspect of the regatta is its yacht races, it is also a test of boat design, sail design, fundraising, and management skills. The cup, originally offered as the Royal Yacht Squadron Cup, is now named after the first yacht to win the trophy, the schooner America. The trophy remained in the hands of the New York Yacht Club of the United States from 1857 (when the syndicate that won the Cup donated the trophy to the club) until 1983 when the Cup was won by the challenger, Australia II of Australia, ending the longest winning streak in the history of sport. The skipper of Australia II, John Bertrand, was quoted as saying,”This puts yacht racing back on the map.”

The America’s Cup is a symbol of yachting supremacy. Winning the America’s Cup is one of the most difficult sporting accomplishments possible, and it took 132 years before the trophy was wrestled from the New York Yacht Club in 1983.

The Cup itself was made in 1848 by Garrards of London who were, at the time, the Royal Jewellers. The Cup was one of several identical cups made at the time. It languished at Garrards, unsold, for several years until it was purchased by the Royal Yacht Squadron as a trophy for a special race held in the year of the Great Exhibition of 1851 held in London. Now, it is a priceless sporting treasure.

yacht america

The Cup itself is an ornate Britannia silver bottomless ewer, one of several off-the-shelf trophies crafted in 1848 by Garrard & Co.  Sir Henry Paget, the Marquess of Anglesey bought one and donated it for the Royal Yacht Squadron’s 1851 Annual Regatta around the Isle of Wight.

It was originally known as the “R.Y.S. £100 Cup”, standing for a cup of a hundred Gold Sovereigns in value. The Cup was subsequently engraved as the “100 Guinea Cup” by the America syndicate, but was also referred to as the “Queen’s Cup” and the “America’s Cup”. Today, the trophy is officially known as the “America’s Cup” and affectionately called the “Auld Mug” by the sailing community. It is inscribed with names of the yachts that competed for it, and has been modified twice by adding matching bases to accommodate more names.

Tags: ,
Posted in History | No Comments »

The New York Court ruling that the America’s Cup will be in February 2010

May 14th, 2009

The judge of the Supreme Court of New York Court of Shirley Werner Kornreich ruled today that the 33rd edition of the America’s Cup will be in February 2010, but has qualified to Alinghi and BMW-Oracle can agree another date, Valencia haven’t confirmed to host the competition.
According to the Alinghi sources, the judge has given a list of potential mediators to intercede for the parties to agree on the date of the 33rd America’s Cup, in the case is not achieved, will be held in February 2010 at a venue that the defender must communicate six months before the race.
Failure to reach agreement and have to compete in February 2010, the same sources have stressed that Alinghi will have to “evaluate” whether Valencia would be the right place at the conditions of his race during the winter in the northern hemisphere.
Two releases of both teams litigants, the Alinghi and BMW-Oracle, issued today after the ruling, explain the different nuances of the judicial decision.
Tom Ehman, spokesman for the Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC), which competes for the BMW-Oracle, said in a statement issued after the hearing that “today is due to end any further delay to the 33rd edition of the America’s Cup and now we can look forward to exciting race early next year. ”
His note said that the April 7, 2009, the Court of Appeals of New York Court ruled unanimously that the GGYC was the rightful ‘Challenger of Record’ edition of 33 and that the next America’s Cup should be held in ten months in early February 2010.
However, in a letter dated April 23 of the Geneva Nautical Society (SNG), which competes on ‘Alinghi’ defender of the America’s Cup, tried to postpone the race until May 2010, which led to a motion of the U.S. team has now been finally resolved in his favor.

The Neverending Story

Following the ratification today by the Court, the NGA has also sent a statement indicating that compliance with this decision and is pleased “clarity” that gives the resolution.
“We now know that the America’s Cup could take place in the northern hemisphere, regardless of date and may be agreed through mediation, according to Judge Kornreich,” says the note from the Swiss team.
The union reported that presides Ernesto Bertarelli also emphasizes that Judge Kornreich “requires” the BMW-Oracle to “adhere” to the specifications of its notification of challenge in July 2007 and that “as soon as possible” present Alinghi boat certificate.
“That means we have the boat in the catamaran for ninety ninety feet in the duel to take place, has to comply strictly with its notification said that in July 2007 because they risk a disqualification,” in If it does not have the same sources clarified.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in 33th America's Cup, AC News, Valencia | No Comments »

BMW Oracle: legal observation of rivals is a common practice

May 13th, 2009
The communiqué of the BMW-Oracle also states that “spies” of Alinghi “were seen on several occasions by our team near the base and water, both in Anacortes and San Diego.”
BMW-Oracle responds to this release issued Tuesday by the Swiss Alinghi, defender of the America’s Cup, which reported to the Supreme Court of New York that the Swiss police arrested a few days ago a person hired by the BMW - Oracle to take pictures in Villeneuve (Switzerland), where the Swiss have built the boat for the 33 edition of the America’s Cup.
In the communique issued by the BMW-Oracle indicated that Alinghi is trying once again to avoid the clear ruling of the court, making false accusations that have nothing to do with the case to try. ”

“We think that this tactic by the Societe Nautique de Geneve yacht club in the competition, the Alinghi to try to further delay, not prevent the 33rd America’s Cup was held in February 2010 as ordered by the Court the  past month.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Alinghi, BMW Oracle, Teams | No Comments »

Alinghi: the Swiss police arrested an employee of BMW Oracle for spying

May 13th, 2009

Alinghi, defender of the America’s Cup, has informed the Supreme Court of New York that the Swiss police arrested few days ago a person hired by the BMW-Oracle to get photos in Villeneuve (Switzerland), where the Swiss built his boat for the 33 edition.

Swiss Team sources have confirmed that the events of days past April 29 when members of Alinghi found a person taking photos of the facilities where they build their boat and filed a complaint, the police went to Switzerland at the place and arrested this person.

They explained that the arguments before the hearing that the next 14 days in New York have the motion tabled by the unions to determine the date of the 33rd America’s Cup and were presented on Monday, mentioning the incident of alleged industrial espionage.

In his memorandum to the Court, thirteen pages, the Swiss team said that “an individual was arrested and questioned by Swiss authorities and admitted being a spy recruited by the Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC) and BMW-Oracle team to break the seal the premises, take pictures and learn about the ship’s defense. ”

“The individual was hired in December 2007 with the sole purpose of spying on their competitors and will have paid $ 10,000 a month to do that job,” continues the argument.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in 33th America's Cup, Alinghi, BMW Oracle | No Comments »

Oracle go to court for to decide the date of the America’s Cup

April 29th, 2009
The judge set the case for the May 14 hearin to decide when between  February or May 2010.
Less than a week has taken on BMW Oracle to return to the courts, forget any settlement with Alinghi. On Thursday, met in Geneva with the defender and nothing good out of the event because his next step was to return to the Supreme Court of New York.
The American team on Monday introduced a new question to the judge in the case, Shirley Kornreich, which asked him to decide on the date of the America’s Cup in multihulls must face the two teams.
Alinghi in Geneva to make the Cup in May 2010. Europeans rely on two teams that faced the northern hemisphere and that the race, by implication, is contesting in the upper part of the globe. Therefore the first time to compete is May 2010.
While Americans cling to the date of 8, 10 and February 12 as a day to be disputing the competition and the judge authorized to make on that date anywhere, but the judge gave Cahn first to Valencia .
Alinghi breakfast yesterday that the team did Larry Ellison will return to the Court of New York even before the second face to face event to be produced in a few weeks.
And just a day after you know it must return to court next May 14. At least the new judge has had the delicacy to give priority to the cause as it is expected a quick resolution of the problem.
The only thing that has asked the American team is that the judge should do when you read the competition. to this end, Alinghi has until 11 days to present its defense to the cause he has promoted the American team. On Thursday 14 will be the witnesses and the resolution is expected to be fast because the judge has to decide whether it is in February or May.
The date is the first case that the two unions have to confront the competition of shape multihulls. And it is quite likely not be the last time any of the parties return to New York to be the judges who give birth to the race.
The two unions are aware that the date is very important. For Oracle, a boat and sailing, all that is accelerating the process is beneficial. His sailboat is in navigating the waters of San Diego.
For his part, Alinghi has not yet thrown his sailboat water. Moreover, nobody has been able to view although there is talk that it will be a catamaran (two instead of three runners as the Americans) of almost 40 meters long, the maximum that allows the rule of the competition.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in 33th America's Cup, Alinghi, BMW Oracle | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries