Telefonica Blue gets back to racing

by Various Volvo Ocean Race competitors on 13 Oct 2008
Latest News: In the Volvo Ocean Race Leg 1, Bouwe Bekking’s men have completed repairs to their damaged steering system are back on the race track, where overnight, the fleet compressed heading into the Atlantic.

The Telefonica Blue crew raised their mainsail at 06:17 GMT and the team proceeded to their last racing position where they resumed racing at 06:53 after serving their minimum 12 hour pit stop penalty.

BOAT EMAILS:

TELEFONICA BLUE QFB received 13.10.08 0551 GMT

Telefonica Blue has made its stop. How do I feel? Not very happy, but we have to carry on and see if we can claw back all the lost miles. Still a long way to go, and we know we can sail optimal again.

We were moored overnight in between all the big container ships, as the marina was closed, because of the all the damage a big storm caused 2 days ago over here. The shore crew, formed of Campbell, Maria, Claas, Clayton and Stu have done AN EXELLENT JOB .They set up a temporary workshop, and had a car full of tools with them.

Just after arrival we had a short chat with them, and their wish was to do all the work themselves, and they sent us off to a local hotel for a couple of hours of sleep. Back at the boat at 0630, and they shore crew was just washing the decks off, WELLDONE everybody.

We are now motoring to the place where we stopped, not much breeze, about 4 knots, but so be it. Just over an hour to go, before we can re-start again.

The other boats had a re-start as well and can imagine that the Ericsson boys are feeling sick, as they had an excellent first day, but now got caught up again by the rest.

Bouwe
(Bouwe Bekking – skipper)
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TELEFONICA BLACK LEG ONE DAY 2: Received 12.10.08 at 22.20 GMT

Hi all

For those sailors who not only race around the globe, but also are to deal with the task of taking water samples to contribute in a huge research about the presence and state of marine biomass, it has been more than a shame to go across the Strait of Gibraltar in the middle of an oil slick. Imagine our faces when sailing across waters absolutely covered with floating tar, something of a shameful remembrance for many who lived it from a close distance in Galicia.

I wonder what might have happened if one of the boats had the water-maker seacocks open.

Let's sail and let's hope all the s.... from the hull has gone before we need to put the water-maker to work.

Apart from that, we are happy to see ourselves pushing harder and harder forward, and getting step by step to the top positions of the fleet. That's the prize for the hard work done!

Cheers from TELEFONICA NEGRO
Mikel
(Mikel Pasabant MCM)
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PUMA QFB LEG ONE DAY 2: Received 12.10.08 at 2153 GMT

I would guess that leaving for any sort of journey would have its ups and downs. Leaving for a long sailboat race is no different. Although I had to keep reminding my wife and daughter that it was only three weeks...it certainly seemed bigger to all of us. The entire team for that matter.

Each of the guys and all of the girls had watery eyes as we left Alicante, a town which was an amazing host to the start of this race. And leaving the shore team who has been nothing short of miracle workers was hard as well.

But unlike our families, who were clearly sad, the shore team had a look on each of their faces -‘thank god you are leaving and please don't break and come back!’ Or something like that.

And then there was the PUMA support network for the past two years that showed up by the hundreds at the start. What great friendships we have found with all the PUMA folks. They really have gone far beyond being sponsor. We are all a big family and it was great to see their excitement when we were heading off.

But I am guessing that there have been a million words written about the start. So I will go into the race itself as life has been a bit hectic since our start, including quite a fast and furious first 10 hours. Planing into the lead, losing visual contact with the two Ericsson boats in a little squall, and the next thing we knew they were 15 miles ahead of us. Certainly good work on their part as they clearly had a plan to go north at Cabo de Gada.

We gybed on a 40 degree shift and thought it was a no brainer and sailed ourselves into lighter air. Sounds like the Ericsson boats did their homework a little better than we did and good for them.

Since that time we have had squalls, drift off's, tons of tacking and gybing - all to be overlapped with the Green Dragon and Telefónica Black in the Straits of Gibraltar. Pretty cool actually, as we had a few mechanical problems today on board and catching up the way we did was a huge boost for the team.

We are now in third heading southwest toward the tip of Africa. There were a few boats taking photo's in the Straits. Media man Ricky Deppe held up a sign that said ‘Help, get me off this boat’. There were no takers. His reputation must have preceded him.

Anyway, it is great to be at sea. Great to back with the boys. And besides having a little catching up to do with the two Ericsson boats, and fending off the rest of the fleet, all is great on board.

Kenny
(Ken Read – skipper)


Puma QFB LEG ONE DAY TWO: Received 12.10.08 2244GMT

Greetings fellow Pumans and other Volvo Race fans.

It is now about 24hrs since the start in Alicante and we find ourselves heading out through the Straits of Gibraltar. This is the gap between the southern tip of Spain and the northern tip of Morocco that marks the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean.

We are 300 miles into the 6500 mile leg to Cape Town. This might seem daunting to some but here on Il Mostro we feel prepared for the trip and after a wild night of hard running in 25/30 knots of wind followed by a day of lighter winds we are starting to settle into the routine of life onboard.

Last night I was very happy to have successfully transmitted some video and stills from the boat to Volvo Race Headquarters. The last week in Alicante gave us some nerve-wracking moments as we worked through last minute issue's with the communications equipment onboard Il Mostro and I would like to thank the guys from Livewire especially Alistair, for all their hard work and effort on our boat in very trying circumstances.

Saying goodbye to loved ones never gets any easier and I would have to say that the start of any Volvo leg is particularly tough - sometimes as sailors I think we would prefer to just slip out of town when no-one is watching...... no such luck here.

By the time you've finished your fifth TV interview, made your last minute checks on the boat, met the King of Spain and dealt with last minute sponsor stuff you barely have time for the most important thing of all, which is spending some time with your family! The families are really the unsung heroes of this race. We get to chase our dreams, blasting round the planet on these high tech surfboards while they put their lives on hold and wait for us at the next stopover where we show up (never on time) ready to be entertained.

Therefore a huge shout out to all Volvo partners, wives, kids, mums, dads, extended family members and friends - especially mine of course.... Thank you, and see you in Cape Town.

Rick Deppe - MCM
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TEAM RUSSIA LEG ONE DAY 3 QFB: received 13.10.08 0004 GMT

Dodging mines over the last 24 hours.

The departure from Alicante was an unforgettable experience with all the fans of the Volvo Ocean Race and the spectator yachts giving the fleet a fantastic farewell. Alicante was a great place to be and the Spanish enthusiasm for sailing is not only because the King likes the sport. If Alicante wants to host the fleet again for the ne