Amer Sports One – Roger Nilson Interview in Auckland

by Race Head Quarters Press Office on 4 Jan 2002 AMER SPORTS ONE – Roger Nilson on the dockside after finishing second in
Leg Three of the Volvo Ocean Race


Q: How do you feel?
A: Very good, no complaints at all.

Q: What was the leg like?
A: It was quite a complex leg, as it included the Hobart race, it was
also very tense. It was quite interesting to have so many position
changes, in the Hobart race we had a problem with our ballast so we got
behind, and then we were leading for a very short while, and then suddenly
we were last, and finally second – it was very exciting.

Q: It was a big chase at the end here, what was that like?
A: The nervous moment was at Cape Reinga when we had a strong foul current
and a strong foul tide; we had very little wind on our nose and tacked
back and forth without making any progress at all. The other boats were
doing twelve knots so that wasn’t so nice at all.

Q: What was the Sydney-Hobart like?
A: I have never sailed the race before, and it was rough. Though it was
obviously a lot less rough than many other times so I was very happy about
that. It was enough rough, we beat up the boat pretty badly and have some
damage.

Q: What was it like seeing the twister?
A: I was down below just doing a radio schedule, so I sneaked up through
the hatch and saw it. I have seen these things before but not quite so
big, it looked pretty vicious – like it could kill. They have a lot of
power and sound like one thousand helicopters rushing towards you! It is
scary and beautiful at the same time.

Q: How physically tough was the leg?
A: I feel very good now, as Dee Smith, who was previously Watch Leader,
has become co-navigator and tactician, which took a lot of relief off of
me, and worked very well. I don’t think I have ever felt this rested!

Q: After second into Hobart did Amer Sports One feel comfortable?
A: Yes, we had a twenty minute gap at the beginning at least, and although
Tyco caught up, it was very useful to get that jump. I think that even if
Assa had been further back she would have won anyway, she sailed a perfect
race, and we weren’t so perfect. It was never realistic that we would
catch up.