DJUICE DRAGONS set sail for their qualification race

by Lizzie Green on 14 May 2001
Djuice dragons, the Norwegian entry into the Volvo Ocean Race, is sailing
out of Miami on Tuesday May 15 after two and a half month's training on
their identical Laurie Davidson-designed V.O.60s. The dragons are heading
to Baltimore/Annapolis in leg one of their qualification race. The black
and pink boats carrying 25 sailors from seven countries will arrive in
Annapolis on May 18, stopping for 36 hours before setting out for La
Rochelle on Sunday 20th. (ETA for La Rochelle is June 2, Gothenburg June 8
and Sandefjord June 9.)

As the operations in Miami wind to a close, skipper Knut Frostad remarks
that the team has accomplished what they set out to with the two-boat
testing and team building. 'We had perfect conditions for the first part of
testing and development and the boats are now performing very well', says
Frostad.

The main objectives for the Miami-Baltimore leg are to practise the
different strategic options, getting more race training and focussing on
the Chesapeake Bay area - the Baltimore-La Rochelle leg being the actual
qualification. It is on this leg that the boats and crew must perform at
their premium.

djuice I is skippered by Frostad and crewed by the race team with djuice II
crewed by the sparring team plus a few 'guest stars': Erle Williams,
currently tactician for Team New Zealand will be skipper, Vincent Geake,
navigator from Silk Cut, Whitbread 1997-98 will navigate and Mark
Mendelblatt, currently with One World America's Cup team and Justin
Clougher will join the trim/helm lineup. The crews will change slightly for
each leg.

ON BOARD DJUICE I: MIAMI - BALTIMORE
Knut Frostad, NOR, skipper
Jean-Yves Bernot, FRA, navigator
Ed Baird, USA, tact/helm
Stig Westergaard, DEN, tact/helm
Jonas Wackenhuth, SWE, bow 1
Mikael Lundh, SWE, bow 2
Christen Horn Johannessen, NOR, trim/helm
Billy Merrington, AUS, trim/helm
Espen Guttormsen, NOR, trim/helm
Spike Doriean, AUS, trim/helm
Jacques Vincent, FRA, trim/helm
Wouter Verbraak, NED, co-navigator
Jon Nash, GBR, photographer

ON BOARD DJUICE II: MIAMI - BALTIMORE
Erle Williams, NZL, skipper
Vincent Geake, GBR, navigator
Colin Booth, NZL, tact/helm
Justin Clougher, AUS, bow 1
Per Jonsson, SWE, bow 2
Jeff Gladchun, USA, trim/helm
Dalton Bergan, USA, trim/helm
Johnny Mourdant, IRE, trim/helm
Mark Mendelblatt, USA, trim/helm
Arve Roas, NOR, trim/helm
Steve Gruver, USA, trim/helm
Anthony Nossiter, AUS, trim/helm
Keats Keeley, USA, trim/helm

Conditions for the sail are expected to be easterly winds turning southwest
and increasing to 20 knots, then going nor'east and very light, (5-10
knots), generally light and variable. 'It's going to be challenging for the
last part in Chesapeake Bay because it is a difficult place,' says
meteorologist Wouter Verbraak. 'If there are sea breezes and local effects
together with shallow waters and strong currents, it will be perfect test
conditions for the boat, the gear and the team.'

Daily emails and pictures from djuice I and djuice II will be available on
www.djuice.com/dragons


About djuice dragons
djuice dragons is the Norwegian team participating in the Volvo Ocean Race
2001-2002. Skippered by Knut Frostad (Intrum Justitia 93-4, Innovation
Kvaerner 97-8), the team is sponsored by djuice.com, a mobile internet
portal, owned by Telenor Mobile Communications.

About djuice.com
djuice.com is a subsidiary of Telenor, the principal telecommunications
operator in Norway. djuice.com is an international horizontal mobile
Internet portal with a web interface. The company utilises the Internet as
an enabler for the mobile Internet, to inform and educate the customers and
provide an interface for easy configuration, personalisation and marketing.
The Volvo Ocean Race is the largest sponsorship in Telenor's history and is
the primary focus for djuice.com in the coming months and years. The
organisation will invest heavily in the project, which will become the
foremost showcase for new technology, functionality, services and network
capabilities as the race moves around the world.

Sub Sponsors
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Lines - international shipping
SAS - Scandinavian Airline Systems
NutriPharma - developer of functional and nutritional foods
Nera Telecommunications - satellite communications

Strategic Partners
TV2 Norway - strategic media partner
DNV - Det Norske Veritas AS Software - strategic risk management partner
Wiersholm Mellbye & Bech - strategic partner legal services
JBR McCann/Scandinavian Design Group - strategic advertising & design
partners
Develo AS - strategic human relations partner
Foyen Management Services/Business Navigation - strategic partner financial
control

Official Suppliers
Helly Hansen - official clothing supplier
Simrad - official marine electronics supplier
Volvo Cars Norway AS - official supplier
Ericsson Norway AS - official GSM solution supplier
WM Data - official computer solutions supplier
Finn Solvang AS - official signage supplier
Viking - official footwear supplier

Suppliers
Nautisk Forlag -navigational equipment supplier
Storm Weather Centre - meteorological information supplier
Burson-Marstellar - supplier of PR and crisis management services
Roblon by Teufelberger - supplier of running rigging
Burson-Marsteller - supplier of PR and crisis management services
Jotron - supplier of electronic safety devices
Relekta - supplier of workshop consumables
Sandefjord Blad - local media partner
Norske Legesenter - supplier of medical services

For media enquiries, images and footage, please contact:
Emma Sutcliffe
Press Relations Officer - djuice dragons
45 Akersgate, 3 etg
Oslo 0158
Norway
Email: emma@djuicedragons.com
Phone: +47 9769 8840 (mobile)
Phone: +47 22 94 11 00 (office)
Miami base number: +1 786 777 1550
www.djuice.com/dragons

For further information on the Volvo Ocean Race please contact:
Lizzie Green, Press Officer
Direct Line: +44 (0)1489 554 832
Switchboard +44 (0)1489 564 555
Mobile: +44 (0)7801 185 320
Fax: +44 (0)1489 564 333
Email: Lizzie.Green@volvo.com
Website www.VolvoOceanRace.org

Andreas Hanakamp, Press Officer
Direct Line: +44 (0) 1489 554 833
Mobile: +44 (0) 7787 562 404
Email: andreas.hanakamp@consultant.volvo.com

For images, please contact:
Patrick Anderson - Picture Desk Manager
Direct Line +44 (0) 1489 554 867
Mobile +44 (0)777 55 33 956
Fax: +44 (0)1489 564 333
Email: Patrick@vsnl.com

For broadcast enquiries please contact:
Granada Sport
Jim Raven
Tel: +44 (0) 2380 222555
Email: ravenhj@meridiantv.com

ABOUT THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE
The Volvo Ocean Race will start from Southampton, England on September 23rd
2001. This professionally crewed event will cover 32,700 nm in
approximately ten months, circumnavigating the world with the prevailing
winds. The nine-leg race will visit 10 ports, racing through four oceans,
and finish in Kiel, Germany in June 2002. The race is jointly owned and
sponsored by Volvo Car Corporation and The Volvo Group.

Facts:32,700 NM
Start September 23, 2001, Southampton, UK
LEG 1 DEPART Southampton 23.19.01 ETA CAPE TOWN 23.10.01 NM 7,350
LEG 2 DEPART Cape Town

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