Volvo Ocean Race, il riscatto di Telefonica Blue
Equipo TelefonicaEricsson RacingGreen Dragon RacingOceanoPuma Ocean RacingTeam Delta LloydVelaVolvo Ocean Race 21 Giugno 2009 Zerogradinord 0
Volvo Ocean Race – Marstrand – L’aveva detto Bouwe Bekking: “…puntiamo a rifarci nell’ultima In-Port Race, perchè da sempre sono regate favorevoli alle nostre caratteristiche”. E’ proprio il caso di dire che la promessa è stata mantenuta. L’equipaggio di Telefonica Blue, infatti, al rientro dopo la disastrosa nona tappa, ha fatto sua la In-Port Race di Stoccolma, anticipando di un nulla l’avversario di sempre, quel Puma lanciato verso il secondo posto assoluto anche in virtù del sinistro occorso agli uomini dello skipper olandese.
Inutile piangere sul latto versato, Bekking lo sa e invita i suoi a fare l’unica cosa che può tenere accesa la fiammella della speranza: vincere anche l’ultima frazione, quella che porterà la flotta da Stoccolma a San Pietroburgo.
Intanto a Stoccolma sorridono tutti: gli uomini di Telefonica Blue per il ritorno al successo, quelli de Il Mostro per aver lasciato lungo la strada solo mezzo punto, quelli di Telefonica Black per essere finiti terzi e quelli di Torben Grael per aver tenuto alta la guardia nonostante il risultato già messo al sicuro.
Alle spalle di Ericsson 4, quarto al termine delle due manche disputate in una rada a 25 miglia dalla capitale svedese, ma non per questo non affollata, si è accomodato Ericsson 3, seguito da Team Delta Lloyd, comunque protagonista grazie ad alcuni buoni spunti, e dall’altalenante Green Dragon, capace a volte di stupire, a volte di lasciare perplessi.
Stockholm In-Port Race
1. Telefónica Blue, B.Bekking, 4.0 points
2. Puma, K.Read, 3.5 points
3. Telefónica Black, F.Echavarri, 3.0 points
4. Ericsson 4, T.Grael, 2.5 points
5. Ericsson 3, M.Olsson 2.0 points
6. Team Delta Lloyd, R.Bermudez, 1.5 points
7. Green Dragon, I.Walker, 1.0 pt.
Volvo Ocean Race, general ranking
1. Ericsson 4, T.Grael, 110.5 pt.
2. Il Mostro, K.Read, 98.5 pt.
3. Telefonica Blue, B.Bekking, 92 pt.
4. Ericsson 3, M.Olsson, 73.5 pt.
5. Green Dragon, I.Walker, 64 pt.
6. Telefonica Black, F.Echavarri, 50 pt.
7. Team Delta Lloyd, R.Bermudez, 39.5 pt.
8. Team Russia, A.Hanakamp, 10.5 pt.
REMARKABLE COMEBACK FOR TELEFÓNICA BLUE TO WIN STOCKHOLM IN-PORT RACE
[Volvo Ocean Race Press Release] After an extremely disappointing leg nine, which saw second overall in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 slip away when Telefónica Blue ran aground and had to return to Marstrand for emergency repairs, Bouwe Bekking and his men made a remarkable comeback today, to snatch the in-port race in Stockholm from nearest rival Puma. Telefónica Black was third.
The rocks and islands surrounding the course set today for the final of the in-port race series in the Volvo Ocean Race were black with thousands of spectators, while out on the water, in the Stockholm Archipelago, spectator boats lined both sides of the course and masts could be seen as far as the eye could see. The well-behaved spectator fleet was expertly marshalled by the Swedish Navy. It was the perfect day for racing.
As the breeze built to nine knots for the first of two races, the fleet of seven Volvo Open 70s, sailing with plenty of heel and producing foaming white water from their bows made a clean start, led by Delta Lloyd.
The two local boats, Ericsson 3 and Ericsson 4, fought for the pin end of the line and chose the far left of the course. After a slightly sticky start, Puma, followed Green Dragon out to opposite side of the course, where she gained clean air and took a lead, which she held on to until the end of the race. Ericsson 3, using their expertise in the lake-like sailing conditions, which are their home waters, were a consistent second.
Telefónica Blue, who was last on the first beat, made a terrific comeback and climbed steadily up through order to take third, which, coincidentally, was the same top three finishing order as the second of the Galway in-port races. So close were the next two boats, it was difficult to call the finish, however Ericsson 4 eventually beat Telefónica Black by a short head (one second) to take fourth, while Green Dragon was sixth, and, after a very promising start, Delta Lloyd completed the line up in seventh place.
It was in race two that the outcome for the day was decided as the breeze increased to 12 – 14 knots and a fog bank started to roll in across the course.
Telefónica Blue put in her usual polished performance and led the fleet from start to finish. Telefónica Black, with syndicate head, Pedro Campos at the helm, sailed a perfect race and spoilt the show for Puma by finishing second in race two, a result which prevented Puma from claiming overall victory today. With a third and a first for Telefónica Blue and a first and a third for Puma today, the tie was broken in favour of the results in the second race, which left Telefónica Blue as the clear winner, from Puma and Telefónica Black.
It has been an exceptional day of racing and although the order on the overall leaderboard remains unchanged, Telefónica Blue has crept a little closer to second place overall, and is now 6.5 points behind Puma, with one more leg of the race still to come.
Stockholm In-Port Race
1. Telefónica Blue, B.Bekking, 4.0 points
2. Puma, K.Read, 3.5 points
3. Telefónica Black, F.Echavarri, 3.0 points
4. Ericsson 4, T.Grael, 2.5 points
5. Ericsson 3, M.Olsson 2.0 points
6. Team Delta Lloyd, R.Bermudez, 1.5 points
7. Green Dragon, I.Walker, 1.0 pt.
Volvo Ocean Race, general ranking
1. Ericsson 4, T.Grael, 110.5 pt.
2. Il Mostro, K.Read, 98.5 pt.
3. Telefonica Blue, B.Bekking, 92 pt.
4. Ericsson 3, M.Olsson, 73.5 pt.
5. Green Dragon, I.Walker, 64 pt.
6. Telefonica Black, F.Echavarri, 50 pt.
7. Team Delta Lloyd, R.Bermudez, 39.5 pt.
8. Team Russia, A.Hanakamp, 10.5 pt.
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