Volvo Ocean Race, sabato la In-Port Race di Singapore
OceanoVelaVolvo Ocean Race 9 Gennaio 2009 Zerogradinord 0
[singlepic=1320,170,250,,left]Volvo Ocean Race – Singapore – Tutto pronto a Singapore per lo svolgimento della seconda In-Port Race di questa Volvo Ocean Race. La regata (o le regate), preceduta da una prova generale in programma domani mattina, avrà inizio alle 13.00 (05.00 GMT) di sabato e sarà trasmessa in diretta tramite il sito ufficiale della manifestazione.
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. 22.5
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
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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
[Volvo Ocean Race Press Release] The challenge of taking a big fast boat designed for crossing oceans around a small inshore race track in the middle of the world’s largest port has cranked up the tension levels among crews of the Volvo Ocean Race. The UBS Challenge for the In-Port Race in the Volvo Ocean Race is scheduled to start at 13.00 local time in Singapore on Saturday afternoon (05.00 GMT). Live coverage of the race will be available on the official websites.
But after a practise run on Friday, the teams were champing at the bit to get on the race track proper to win points and showcase their hardware in a decent breeze that will highlight their breathtaking performances. While shore crews will be begging their skippers to conserve their boats to avoid more time in the boatshed ahead of the fourth leg to Qingdao, the skippers were trying to offset the risk of damage with the need to up the ante.
“We don’t have switches in our brains that remind us to preserve the boat because all you are thinking about is taking your boat and cutting the other guy in half no matter what it takes – said Puma skipper Ken Read – We are all the same. We would not be doing this race if we weren’t ultra competitive.”
“Expect a few incidents,” added Green Dragon skipper Ian Walker, dockside following his practice session. “I will be trying hard not to break the boat but you never what happens when the red mist descends.”
The last in-port race in Alicante represented a clean sweep for the local boats Telefonica Blue and Telefonica Black but with a forecast for 20 knots winds on flat waters, there is no obvious favourite with the playing field decidedly level until the sails go up, the tactics are called and the fleet heads towards the gate which race officials are setting in the middle of the course.
A short course for big, fast boats
This could lead to a real battle, said Ericsson 4‘s Torben Grael: “It is a very short course for very big, fast boats and with everyone trying to get through the door at the same time will not make things easier. It is going to be hard for us but good for everyone else to watch.”
With Team Russia on her way to South Africa in search of more funds to carry on racing, the starts are likely to be less congested than they were in Alicante and Roberto ‘Chuny’ Bermudez said there were also doubts over Delta Lloyd‘s participation following their extensive and complicated repair programme in Singapore.
“The boat is in the water,” he confirmed. “We checked through the mast and have been measured and were slightly over so had to take some weight out from the boat. We are planning to go out sailing this afternoon and hope that everything works for tomorrow but we are not certain we will be on the start.”
“It is important for us to be in the race tomorrow but the most important thing is that we repair all the damage for the next leg. If we can go out there and are able to push 100% with the rest of the boats that would be good but if there are any problems that will not be good. We cannot confirm we will be racing because we have not yet hoisted our sails. We can’t put the boat in danger.”
Bouwe Bekking hands over the helm to Olympic champion Iker Martinez who steered Telefonica Blue to victory in the two in port races in Spain back in October, leading from start to finish in the first and seeing off a challenge from Puma in the second to earn their first four points of the Volvo Ocean Race.
“We have spent the past couple of days practising manoeuvres and now we have to see whether the practising was good enough with more boats around us. We have to see if we can get around the track. The course is too short for these boats but it is the same for everybody so hopefully there will be no crashes. The guy who makes it round the track might not win but has a good chance of scoring points.”
Fernando Echavarri of sistership Telefonica Black also expected the racing to be tough and hands the reins over to Pedro Campos once again after he posted a second place in Alicante.
“The course is really short and narrow and with these shifty conditions it will be really tough. The race is all about manoeuvres and lay lines and today we have to concentrate on them and the tides and the starts,” said Echavarri.
“There is a lot to think about but we are pretty confident. We have Pedro helming again and he is really motivated so we are looking forward to it.”
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. 22.5
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
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