Sail-World.com : PUMA Ocean Racing heads for Spain
|
PUMA Ocean Racing heads for Spain |
|
|
'On board Puma Ocean Racing during Transat Day 1. Photo: Rick Deppe'
Puma Ocean Racing
|
Extract from Ken Read's onboard notes from PUMA Ocean Racing's first day at sea (yesterday) during their transatlantic crossing.
PUMA Ocean Racing was born in March of 2007. What a year and a half it has been.
And today, it all came together. This morning at 11:00AM Eastern Standard Time, we set off from Newport, RI., bound for Alicante, Spain. Our team has called this our personal 'leg 1' of the Volvo Ocean Race. We have practiced everything imaginable with this boat and crew for a good part of the year and a half, so why not practice an actual Volvo leg?
We had everyone and everything (the boat, the sails, sailors, and families) consider our leaving a race day.
Even our shore team was in the mindset, and they are probably breaking down the shore base back in Newport as I write. And thank goodness we pulled it off because we would have looked pretty silly to all the press that showed up for our send off.
So now we've been offshore for about 5 hours and have heard the 55th version of Jerry Kibry's story of running 'Yankee Girl' up on a small island called No Mans Land off the tip of Martha's Vineyard. I swear he really thinks he is telling us this story for the first time. And man does he crack himself up...
Anyway, when we come by these parts again in about 8 months time hopefully we will have circumnavigated the world with just 4 short legs to complete the full Volvo Ocean Race. Boston, the only North American stopover in the race is just a short trip around Nantucket and Cape Cod (from where we are right now). Joe Fallon and his team at Fan Pier have promised us a heck of a party when we get there.
So where do we go from here? Only time will tell, but I sure know where er have been.
Tons of work has gone into the campaign from more people I can ever list or thank. Starting with PUMA, who believed in this race and our team.
We are on our way to the official start of the Volvo Ocean race 2008-2009 in Alicante, to really get things going, but it's a huge relief to get on our way and begin our personal 'leg 1.'
We'll keep you informed as we go.
Ken Read
www.pumaoceanracing.com
by
9:37 PM Wed 27 Aug 2008 GMT
Click here for printer friendly version
Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story.
If you want to send this story to a friend, please use link below
http://www.sail-world.com/USA/PUMA-Ocean-Racing-heads-for-Spain/48254
Click for further information on
North American News
Related News Stories:
MORE STORIES ...
|
Based on your current download speed Sail-World has delivered large images (660 pixels long side.) If you would like to see only small images (300 pixels long side)
click here . For medium sized images (500 pixels long side)
click here .
| |
