Sail-World.com : Close finishes mark the end of the Volvo Ocean Race in St Petersburg
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Close finishes mark the end of the Volvo Ocean Race in St Petersburg |
The Volvo Ocean Race is over - finishing in St Petersburg, Russia with Telefonica Black taking the final leg after a tacking fuel with Puma Racing (Ken Read).
The second place on the final leg gave Read and his crew second place overall in the 37,000nm sailing marathon. Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael) took an unassailable lead after Leg 9 to win the 2008/09 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Fifteen minutes from the finish it was all on between Telefonica Black and Puma Racing as the on the water commentary records: 'Telefonica Black still holding the advantage, they are maybe four boat-lengths in front. But Ken Read and PUMA are still tacking and trying to wriggle free. Fernando Echavarri and his team look to be playing a canny game, they are not being pressured into an error, as were the Ericsson 3 team at the end Leg 9.'
Five minutes later they were still at it, however a tight cover had become a safe cover, as the two leading yachts battled away in the dark.
'The tacking duel goes on, but Telefonica Black look comfortable. Telefonica Blue's watch captain Jordi Calafat told me recently that he thought their boat had dominated inshore because it accelerated a little quicker and was a bit easier to sail in different ‘modes’.'
'Telefonica Black crosses in front of PUMA and tacks. Ken Read goes for speed and tries to get through to leeward. Both boats can sail straight to the finish, so it’s all about who has their bow forward. It’s Telefonica Black, quicker, and pulling out to a couple of lengths lead. It’s Telefonica Black, taking Leg 10.
'Telefonica Black tacks onto port, and now has to maintain enough of their early advantage to cross clear in front as they come back together, as Ken Read has the right of way now PUMA has tacked to starboard.'
At 0043 GMT on the final run-in to the finish, Telefonica Black on starboard crossed in front of PUMA by 2.5 boat-lengths, and allowed PUMA to carry on out to the south and tack on what looks like a layline to the finish.
Three minutes later, PUMA crossed the line in second, with Telefonica Blue comfortable in third, Ericsson 3 was be in fourth and Ericsson 4 fifth.
The reaction, on the occasion of their first leg win from Leg 10 winning skipper Fernando Echavarri from Telefonica Black:
'It’s a prize for all of the crew, all of the shore crew. We have been trying to do it in all the legs but couldn’t; this was our last chance. We had a nice battle with PUMA in the last 100 miles. We are really happy.
'It has been really difficult. We prepared the boat for light conditions and the first 150 miles we had more wind than expected so we suffered a lot. Then it got lighter and we got faster. We have been fighting with PUMA and Blue and Ericsson for the last 250 miles. Really close. It has been like a match race. I don’t know how many tacks we have done! It is a great way to finish the Volvo Ocean Race. I am really proud of everyone in the group. They have done an excellent job.'
Ken Read (USA) was relieved to have second overall confirmed : 'The habit is over. We have just sailed around the world. We don’t have to do this anymore for a while.
'Hats off to Telefonica Black. I was actually having a beer with Fernando the other night and told him for some reason I thought this would be his leg. He said ‘I really hope so’. I didn’t realise I was a prophet. I was digging my own grave on that one!
'Congratulations to all those guys, they have worked very hard for their first leg win. We will take our second and our second overall. You know what? We just sailed around the world. I guess I said 100,000 times that we know no way but to make it hard. Shame because we usually win these close battles and today we didn’t.
'The big picture is we finished this race, everyone is safe, the boat has been spectacular. We flew the flag well for Volvo and I think we flew the flag well for PUMA. We have everything to be proud of. Relief is the right word. Right now it is relief and as always we are a pretty tired group onboard. Let the celebrations begin because all of group deserves it.'
For Torben Grael, skipper of Ericsson 4, it was finally time to savour the race win, and know that everyone was home safely.
Guy Swindells repoprts: 'I think it is a mixed feeling because we know this is the end of the story for the project. It’s a funny feeling because some of these guys you have never met before and you become like brothers. Now we go our own ways and it’s a strange feeling.
'On the other had it has been a long race. It was a very long race around the world. We are completely drained and tired so I think everyone is looking forward to a nice rest. We have had a wonderful time. We enjoyed our training time in Lanzarote and the race as well. We have had our ups and downs, but it has been fun. After we won it was a bit of a relaxing leg. It has been so intense and so consuming so I think it is normal that after you achieve your goals you relax. I am very glad for Black and Fernando and his guys for winning this last leg.'
His team won the Volvo Ocean Race with a leg to spare.
In the van of the fleet, the battle continued with the remaining pair still racing. Green Dragon had a slender lead over Delta Lloyd with about a mile to go to the finish.
The on the water call was: 'Green Dragon is reporting they're fully engaged in a tacking duel with Delta Lloyd, just six miles from the finish. Nobody wants to finish last on the final leg of the Volvo Ocean Race!'
Kosatka and Team Russia, who suspended racing after Leg 3 due to a lack of sponsorship, weren't far behind Delta Lloyd. As an unofficial entry for the final leg, they were not tracked as such by the race office, but had been sending in their position every few hours.
As the 'home team' They will be part of the festivities here, which will kick off around 17:00 local time, or 13:00 GMT, when the fleet leaves the custom/immigration dock and passes under the bridges which connect the different parts of the city. They'll then parade in front of the race village.
Here's the vital stats from Leg 10, along with an elapsed time for the overall race:
1st TELEFONICA BLACK - 00:41:25 GMT; Elapsed 1d 12h 41m 25s;
Combined 87d 1h 31m 20s
2nd IL MOSTRO - 00:42:48 GMT; Elapsed 1d 12h 42m 48s;
Combined 129d 16h 23m 01s
3rd TELEFONICA BLUE - 00:51:55 GMT; Elapsed 1d 12h 51m 55s;
Combined 134d 21h 49m 30s
4th ERICSSON 3 - 01:04:48 GMT; Elapsed 1d 13h 04m 48s;
Combined 145d 9h 17m 37s
5th ERICSSON 4 - 01:31:49 GMT; elapsed 1d 13h 31m 49s;
Combined 127d 07h 46m 17s
6th GREEN DRAGON - 02:57:56 GMT; Elapsed 1d 14h 57m 56s;
Combined 135d 05h 53m 3s
7th DELTA LLOYD - 03:00:57 GMT; Elapsed 1d 15h 00m 57s;
Combined 106d 00h 35m 21s
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World and Volvo OR Media
2:45 AM Sat 27 Jun 2009 GMT
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