Puma’s il mostro receives visit from actress Salma Hayek

by Puma Ocean Racing media on 17 May 2009
Award-winning actress Salma Hayek and her husband, PPR's Francois-Henri Pinault sailed aboard Puma’s il mostro ahead of the start of leg seven of the Volvo Ocean Race, which began from Boston, USA today.

One year since christening Puma’s il mostro in Boston Harbor, Salma Hayek reprised her role as the boat’s godmother when she joined the Puma Ocean Racing team to wish them well ahead of the 2,550 nautical mile leg across the Atlantic Ocean to Galway, Ireland.

Crowds of thousands lined the dock at Fan Pier, Boston, as family, friends and fans said an emotional goodbye to the Puma Ocean Racing team. As the seven boat fleet raced a lap of Boston Harbor, hundreds of spectator boats followed the fleet out into thick fog in Broad Sound. As the Volvo Ocean Race fleet turned east into open water and raced out into the Atlantic, Puma was in third place. The seventh of ten legs, the transatlantic crossing is set to be one of the toughest legs of the 37,000 nautical mile round the world race. Expected to take eight to ten days to complete, the Puma Ocean Racing team are battling for a podium finish.

Speaking on the dock in Boston this morning, Skipper Ken Read (USA) commented: 'We’re delighted to have Salma Hayek and Francois-Henri Pinault aboard il mostro with the Puma Ocean Racing team today. Salma christened il mostro here in Boston Harbor almost one year ago to the day. It’s great to have our boat’s godmother with us as we leave Boston and I hope she’ll bring us good luck in this leg!'

'The Boston stopover has been truly overwhelming. The public support and interest in the Volvo Ocean Race and in particular the Puma team has been phenomenal. Over the past couple of weeks, we have had so many sailing fans come and visit the race village, as well as so many more new fans being created. The response and energy of the people in this area has been great, and I’m thrilled that Puma has been a part of that. I can’t thank Joe Fallon, the people of Fan Pier and their volunteers enough for helping make this stopover such a success, as well as all of our Puma family based here in Boston.'

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