Volvo Ocean Race - Team Alvimedica looks back on a job well done

by Team Alvimedica on 6 Oct 2014 Team Alvimedica’s Charlie Enright might have been trying to keep a lid on Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Race win celebrations, not wanting to make more of the moment than he felt was necessary. But the celebrations went ahead all the same, with a prizegiving on the stage at Alicante.

The team will look back on a job well done, and bank the experience for the coming 39,000 miles around the world. Navigator Will Oxley said: 'We learned the lessons from yesterday’s practice race, kept the maneuvers simple, and Alby [Alberto Bolzan] made some really good decisions on the race course.'

Alvimedica’s CEO, Cem Bozkurt, was there to greet the sailors as they stepped ashore in front of the cheering crowds. 'When things get serious, then Alvimedica takes things seriously. This was the first stage of many races to come. In the next nine months we're going to show what young guys can do.'

As for celebrating this evening? 'They're going to sleep for tomorrow. Early dinner! No champagne. For me also, if the team sleeps, I sleep. If the team celebrates, we celebrate together.'

However, there was the customary spraying of champagne on the stage, with Nick Dana spending some agonizing moments trying to get the foil off the bottle, and unpeeling the wire mesh off the top before he could pop the cork and fire-hose his teammates. In all things, ocean sailing and otherwise, preparations matter. Hopefully the next time Alvimedica tops the podium, someone will have prepped the champagne bottle for an instant pop.

If the champagne was a while coming, Charlie had no hesitation in naming his Man of the Match - Alby Bolzan. 'Alby did some great work up on the bow today. And he made some great tactical calls too.' But the short courses of the In-Port racing really test the strength of the whole team, and on Saturday 4 October 2014, Team Alvimedica showed what a powerful unit they are Team Alvimedica Volvo Ocean Race