Smart start from Singapore for Puma on Leg 4 Volvo Ocean Race

by Kate Fairclough on 18 Jan 2009 Puma today stormed round a short six mile course just off the coast of East Coast Park in Singapore at the start of the fourth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. Negotiating their way between the container ships in the busy shipping lanes off Singapore, the Puma team was in second place as they raced down the Straits of Singapore and out into the open waters of the South China Sea.

Leaving Singapore on a high, Puma made an excellent start to what is expected to be the toughest ever leg sailed in the history of this epic round-the-world race. Sailing 2,500 nautical miles northeast towards Qingdao, China, into freezing weather conditions, the predominantly upwind leg is expected to take around ten days to complete.

The Puma team said emotional farewells to family and friends on the dock on Sentosa Island this morning, before lining up against the other six boats in the fleet once more. Singapore has been a memorable stopover for the teams, who spent Christmas in the city during the Volvo Ocean Race’s first ever visit to Asia. Qingdao, China, the sailing venue of the 2008 Olympic Games will represent the third Asian stopover of the race, and this new route brings the fleet into yet more unchartered waters. The short and brutal leg to Qingdao is followed by a short and brutal stopover in China, where lack of time and the severe weather conditions will hamper the shore team’s ability to carry out a full maintenance programme or any drastic repairs ahead of leg five, the longest leg of the race. Therefore, a good, solid finish in leg four could pay dividends in the long-term.

Puma Ocean Racing skipper Ken Read (USA) commented on the dock this morning: 'Our aim is to get to Qingdao in one piece. We’re expecting this leg to be pretty rough at times. We have to make sure everyone arrives in one piece; even whilst we’re racing, safety is our first priority. We’re going to be heading upwind in big breeze against some strong current, which will make life very uncomfortable onboard indeed. When you’re down below onboard the boat, all you can hear is creaks, groans and smashing sounds – it can be very unsettling. As we make our way north past Taiwan the water temperature will begin to seriously drop off, to almost zero degrees. At night, we’re expecting it to be colder than in the Southern Ocean, and there’s a chance we’ll have snow on deck. No joke, our PUMA technical gear could not get a better test, and I have packed a lot of it.'

'I think it will be an interesting and exciting leg, and I expect we’ll be telling stories about it for years to come! It’s been on the calendar since day one, so while we’re a little apprehensive about the cold and dark sailing ahead of us, we’ve always known what we are getting ourselves into. Quite honestly, we’re really sad to leave Singapore, we’ve felt really welcome here. Our shore team, as always, have done a spectacular job of getting the boat into the best condition it could possibly be. Right now, we feel good about our boat, our programme, and we’re ready to get going again. However, saying goodbye to your family is the hardest part. As soon as you get out there and start racing, everything’s good again but this moment is the hardest part.'

The Volvo Ocean Race is made up of ten legs, finishing in June 2009 in St. Petersburg, Russia. By joining the race, Puma has entered a new premium category and is the only Sportslifestyle company to participate in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09. For more information about the race, team and the PUMA Sailing collections, please visit www.pumaoceanracing.com

Alongside Puma’s entry in the Volvo Ocean Race, Puma has launched a full range of marine clothing and apparel, from offshore sailing gear to onshore lifestyle fashion. The Puma Sailing Performance collection was developed and tested by the Puma Ocean Racing team itself, and is worn by the team throughout the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09. The Puma Sailing Lifestyle collection takes inspiration from the sport.

Puma Ocean Racing Sailing Team List, Leg Four, Singapore – Qingdao, China:

Ken Read (USA) Skipper
Andrew Cape (AUS) Navigator
Rick Deppe (GBR) Media Crew Member
Sidney Gavignet (FRA) Watch Captain
Robert Greenhalgh (GBR) Watch Captain
Rob Salthouse (NZL) Trimmer/Driver
Justin Ferris (NZL) Trimmer/Driver
Erle Williams (NZL) Trimmer/Driver
Shannon Falcone (ANT) Trimmer/Pit
Casey Smith (AUS) Bowman
Michael Müller (GER) Bowman

www..pumaoceanracing.com