Clean sweep for Puma at Volvo Ocean Race awards ceremony

by Kate Fairclough on 30 Jun 2009
In addition to accepting their trophy for second place overall in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09, the Puma Ocean Racing team swept the board at the awards ceremony in St Petersburg, Russia on Sunday night.

Winning not one but three further trophies, each in categories voted for by a selection panel according to guidelines set out by the race committee, the Puma team excelled. Rick Deppe (GBR), Puma Media Crew Member won the Inmarsat Media Prize, recognised for his outstanding work throughout the entire race. The inaugural Hans Horrevoets Rookie Trophy was presented to Michi Mueller (GER) for his contribution to the Puma team and the Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Seamanship Award was given to the Puma Ocean Racing team shore crew (Neil Cox (AUS), Sean Healey (AUS), Will Oxley (AUS) and Kimo Worthington (USA)) for rending assistance to Telefonica Blue, after they ran aground at the start of leg nine in Marstrand.

In winning the Inmarsat Leg Media Prize for leg ten, his fourth win, Deppe secured the overall race prize, which included a cheque for €10,000. Deppe’s consistently high quality of work in all mediums throughout the race, earned him the title of best Media Crew Member. Presenting the leg ten Inmarsat Media Award Chris McLaughlin, Vice President, External Affairs, Inmarsat, said: 'Rick performed very consistently throughout the race. His confidence with a camera and talent for putting together a story produced consistently captivating images that embodied the personality of the race.'

The Hans Horrevoets Rookie Trophy was created in memory of Hans, who was lost at sea during the last edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. He played a key role in ABN AMRO TWO’s entry in the race, to bring young talent to top level offshore sailing, with their under 30 crew. Hans’ widow Petra was in St Petersburg to present the award to Mueller, and gave an emotional speech. Puma Ocean Racing Skipper Ken Read nominated Mueller for the prize, stating 'Michael 'Michi' Mueller came to Puma as a complete rookie and in my mind, personifies exactly the type of sailor that your criteria specifies. I had been looking for an 'under 30' who fit the following criteria; big, strong, unflappable; a jack of all trades. Michi not only worked hard but over-performed from the very start. This award is a fantastic addition to the race, awarded in honor of a person who was lost too soon, the type of person who got the job done under the most trying of situations. Michi Mueller is the perfect first recipient of this award. He is the epitome of what this award is all about.'

A Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Seamanship Award was awarded to a sailor or team in each leg of the race, for acts of seamanship and courage displayed during each leg. At the leg nine prizegiving in Stockholm, Sweden, the award was for the first time presented to a shore crew team. Bouwe Bekking, Skipper of stricken yacht Telefonica Blue, nominated the Puma Ocean Racing team shore crew of Neil Cox, Sean Healy, Will Oxley and Kimo Worthington for their assistance to the Telefonica Blue team after they ran aground at the start of leg nine in Marstrand. This group was presented the overall race Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Seamanship Award in recognition of this deed.

For more information about the race, team and the Puma Sailing collections, please visit www.pumaoceanracing.com