Volvo Ocean Race, e ora un pò di vacanza
Equipo TelefonicaEricsson RacingGreen Dragon RacingOceanoPuma Ocean RacingTeam Delta LloydTeam RussiaVelaVolvo Ocean Race 23 Dicembre 2008 Zerogradinord 0
[singlepic=1187,250,170,,left]Volvo Ocean Race – Singapore – Con l’arrivo di Green Dragon e Team Russia nella tarda serata di ieri si è quasi conclusa la terza tappa della Volvo Ocean Race. In mare c’è solo il Team Delta Lloyd che, rotto uno dei bracci utili a basculare la chiglia poche ore prima del cancello di Palau We, si avvicina a Singapore con incedere lento ma deciso.
Intanto, a terra, Bouwe Bekking e il suo equipaggio si sono goduti la gioia della vittoria a due mesi di distanza dal successo ottenuto nella InPort Race di Alicante. Dallo skipper olandese, secondo in classifica generale a 4.5 punti da Ericsson 4, arriva la dimostrazione che Torben Grael si può fermare: “E’ una grande vittoria, proprio prima di Natale. Un bellissimo regalo per noi e per le nostre famiglie che sono qui. Sarà davvero emozionante arrivare all’ormeggio e vedere tante facce sorridenti – ha detto Bekking pochi minuti dopo aver tagliato il traguardo – E’ stata una tappa incredibile. Eravamo al comando, poi abbiamo perso terreno, poi siamo tornati all’attacco. Nelle ultime sei miglia la brezza è scomparsa totalmente e gli avversari si sono avvicinati moltissimo. Come abbiamo trovato un refolo più consistente siamo stati molto attenti a non farcelo scappare. Non ho mai visto i ragazzi così felici. Ripeto, è una vittoria importante, anche perchè dimostra che questa regata è davvero apertissima”.
Più sintetico Ken Read, ottimo secondo a bordo di Il Mostro, ora salito al terzo posto della graduatoria overall: “E’ stata una tappa davvero incredibile, ma non so se la rifarei. Tanto di cappello a Telefonica Blue che ha fatto un lavoro perfetto. Se ci penso, non ricordo quando è stata l’ultima volta che abbiamo mangiato e dormito”.
Gioia anche per Anders Lewander, finito per una volta davanti a Torben Grael: “Noi di Ericsson 3 siamo davvero soddisfatti, anche se in alcuni momenti abbiamo pensato di poter vincere. E’ stta una tappa davvero impegnativa. Avremo fatto mille cambi di vele e navigare nello Stretto di Malacca è stato davvero difficile”.
Con l’arrivo di Team Delta Lloyd, atteso a Singapore in serata, la Volvo Ocean Race prenderà una pausa di qualche settimana. Si tornerà a regatare il 10 gennaio, giorno in cui è fissato lo svolgimento di una InPort Race. La prossima tappa d’altura, Singapore-Qingdao di 2500 miglia, avrà invece inizio il 18.
Leg 3, day 10, 10.00 GMT, rankings
1 – Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED)
2 – Puma Racing Team USA (Ken Read/USA)
3 – Ericsson 3 SWE (Anders Lewander/SWE)
4 – Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA)
5 – Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri/ESP)
6 – Green Dragon IRL/CHN (Ian Walker/GBR)
7 – Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT)
8 – Team Delta Lloyd IRL (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) DTF +95 nm
Ranking after three legs
1 – Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) pt. 35
2 – Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED) pt. 30.5
3 – Puma Racing Team USA (Ken Read/USA) pt. 27.5
4 – Ericsson 3 SWE (Anders Lewander/SWE) pt. 23.5
5 – Green Dragon IRL/CHN (Ian Walker/GBR) pt. 20.5
6 – Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri/ESP) pt. 19.5
7 – Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) pt. 10.5
8 – Team Delta Lloyd IRL (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) pt. 9.0
Per seguire la regata sul Race Tracker clicca qui.
Per visitare la sezione video clicca qui.
[audio:Bekking_231208.mp3]
Bouwe Bekking, skipper di Telefonica Blue. Audio courtesy Volvo Ocean Race.
[audio:Read_231208.mp3]
Ken Read, skipper de Il Mostro. Audio courtesy Volvo Ocean Race.
[audio:Grael_231208.mp3]
Torben Grael, skipper di Ericsson 4. Audio courtesy Volvo Ocean Race.
HARD-FOUGHT VICTORY FOR TELEFÓNICA BLUE
[singlepic=1188,250,170,,left][Volvo Ocean Race Press Release] Fighting for every inch, Telefónica Blue, skippered by Dutchman Bouwe Bekking, crossed the finish line at the end of leg three of the Volvo Ocean Race to score an emphatic victory in Singapore at yesterday 14.51 GMT (22. 51 local time). It was among the closest finishes in the race history, with the top four boats finishing within 20 minutes following nearly 10 days of racing.
The Spanish team takes a valuable eight points towards their overall score, which now stands at 30.5 points, putting them into second place overall (subject to protest).
The 1950 nautical mile leg, which started from Cochin, India, on December 13, has been a leg of mental and physical torture for the crew, which took nine days, four hours, 51 minutes and 22 seconds to complete (09:04:41:22)
Puma, led by Kenny Read/USA claimed second, 17 minutes behind the Spanish team, (finish time 15.08 GMT) adding seven points to her tally, giving her a total of 27.5 points and third place overall. (Elapsed time: 09:05:08:01)
The final podium spot went to Ericsson 3 (Anders Lewander/SWE), who beat their teammates on Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA) to take third, and a total of 23.5 points overall. (Finish time 15.09 GMT, elapsed time 09:05:09:48s)
Ericsson 4 was relegated to fourth place, adding five points to the four they earned for passing through the scoring gate a Palau We in first place. They still lead the race overall, but the margin has narrowed to just 4.5 points over Telefónica Blue. (Finish time 15:10:28 GMT elapsed time 09:05:10m28s).
After crossing the finish, Bouwe Bekking and his crew were ecstatic. Speaking from Telefónica Blue as they motored to Race Village at Sentosa Island and the waiting crowds and families, Bekking said: “It is a very sweet victory. Very special – just before Christmas – a nice little gift for us and very nice because all the families are here. It will be good to see all the happy faces when we get in. It was incredible for us. We were in the lead, then we lost it and then took it back again. In the final six or seven miles, the breeze died completely and the other guys got very close, then we got a little puff of breeze and I managed to bring her home. I have never seen the guys so happy. I have known them for quite a while and normally they are very cool, but they were just ecstatic when they went through the finish. It is a huge thing for us. I told the guys to take it easy as especially in this part of the race, the seas can change in half an hour, and then we sailed a really good race from that point on. We had a couple of really good shifts and, tactically, it went our way and the guys sailed very fast in light airs, which is was why we won. It shows that Ericsson 4 is not invincible and it is really good overall for the race itself.”
Ken Read on finishing second said: “I have never done anything like this before. Not really sure I want to do it again. Unbelievable. Hats off to the Telefónica guys, they did a nice job, congratulations. Nobody can remember the last time they either slept or ate. It has really been all hands on.”
Anders Lewander, skipper of Ericsson 3, the Nordic team, said: “It’s been so enormously tough – all of this leg…but it’s been really amazing. I’ve really enjoyed it because of the close tactics and the mix of conditions. It’s hard work but the close encounters and the whole situation on this leg has been really challenging. I must admit that on several occasions during this leg, I truly believed we were able to win. I’m really proud and happy about our achievement…this short gybing and close encounters is really good racing. The Malacca Strait was challenging with night sailing up the shoreline…then the line-up with the four of us in very variable, light wind conditions. It was a bit of a lottery situation. But it was important to keep in mind the big picture and not necessarily look just at the short term.”
Leg 3, day 10, 10.00 GMT, rankings
1 – Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED)
2 – Puma Racing Team USA (Ken Read/USA)
3 – Ericsson 3 SWE (Anders Lewander/SWE)
4 – Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA)
5 – Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri/ESP)
6 – Green Dragon IRL/CHN (Ian Walker/GBR)
7 – Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT)
8 – Team Delta Lloyd IRL (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) DTF +95 nm
Ranking after three legs
1 – Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) pt. 35
2 – Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED) pt. 30.5
3 – Puma Racing Team USA (Ken Read/USA) pt. 27.5
4 – Ericsson 3 SWE (Anders Lewander/SWE) pt. 23.5
5 – Green Dragon IRL/CHN (Ian Walker/GBR) pt. 20.5
6 – Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri/ESP) pt. 19.5
7 – Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) pt. 10.5
8 – Team Delta Lloyd IRL (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) pt. 9.0
To follow the race on Race Tracker click here.
To visit the video gellery click here.
No comments so far.
Be first to leave comment below.