Volvo Ocean Race Leg 3 - Two awards to Puma

by Lisa Ramsperger on 17 Feb 2012 Volvo Ocean Race third leg Inmarsat Media Crew Member Award was presented to Amory Ross, MCM for Puma Ocean Racing. Puma also won a second consecutive DHL Shore Crew Award. Both awards were presented during the leg three prizegiving ceremony on Thursday, February 16, in Sanya, China.

'It's nice to be rewarded for the effort that goes into it,' Ross said. 'A couple of years ago when I decided this was something I wanted to do, the level of the MCM role wasn't the standard it is today. Now we've all worked really hard to make it a vital role that shares this sport and this race with everyone.'

Ross was honored for his work during Leg 3 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Sanya, China, that included a stop in the Maldives. Throughout the leg, as with each leg of the race, Ross provided daily blogs, photos, video and audio reports, documenting the team’s journey. He shared the adventure of passing through the Malacca Strait and the team’s easterly route through the Dangerous Grounds. He also coordinated media interviews and live satellite broadcasts from onboard Puma’s Mar Mostro. Ross was one of three finalists for the award, including Hamish Hooper from Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand and Nick Dana from Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing.

Puma has now captured back-to-back DHL Shore Crew awards, also winning for leg two from Cape Town, South Africa, to Abu Dhabi. The leg three journey to Sanya was raced in two parts due to the threat of piracy, with shore teams required to load the boats on and off a large container ship. The award honors the 'unsung heroes' of the race – boat builders, sail makers, riggers, technical experts, logistics team and more – who enable the teams to compete successfully.

Earlier in the day, the Puma crew was presented with the IWC Schaffhausen Speed Record Challenge trophy for the furthest 24 hour run during the third leg – an award announced after finishing the leg. Puma’s Mar Mostro posted a 24-hour run of 355.89 nautical miles on the final stretch up the Vietnam coast into Sanya.

Racing returns this weekend with the Pro Am Race on Friday, Feb. 17, followed by the In-Port Race on Saturday, Feb. 18, and leg four to Auckland, New Zealand, gets underway on Sunday, Feb. 19.

The Volvo Ocean Race started on November 5 in Alicante, and the fleet is traveling 39,000 nautical miles through 10 ports, finishing in Galway, Ireland, in July 2012.

The Puma Ocean Racing team is once again under the leadership of Read (Newport, Rhode Island, United States). Collectively, the crew has won the Around the World Race six times. The core includes: Tom Addis, Navigator (Sydney, Australia); Ryan Godfrey, Pitman (Adelaide, Australia); Kelvin Harrap, Helmsman, Inshore Tactician (Napier, New Zealand); Brad Jackson, Design Coordinator and Watch Captain (Auckland, New Zealand); Rome Kirby, Trimmer and Driver (Newport, Rhode Island, USA); Michael 'Michi' Müller, Bowman (Kiel, Germany); Tony Mutter, Aerodynamics Coordinator and Watch Captain (Auckland, New Zealand); Casey Smith, Systems Manager and Bowman (Brisbane, Australia); Jonathan 'Jono' Swain, Helmsman and Trimmer (Durban, South Africa); Amory Ross, Media Crew Member (Newport, Rhode Island, USA); Kimo Worthington, General Manager (Portsmouth, Rhode Island, United States); and Tim Hacket, Shore Team Manager (Sydney, Australia).

Results Leg 3:
Pos Team S1, S2, Total
1 Team Telefónica 3, 24, 27
2 Groupama Sailing Team 4, 20, 24
3 Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand 2, 16, 18
4 Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg 5, 12, 17
5 Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 6, 8, 14
6 Team Sanya -, 4, 4

Overall standings:
Pos Team Overall
1 Team Telefónica 95
2 Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand 80
3 Groupama Sailing Team 71
4 Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg 48
5 Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 39
6 Team Sanya 15

Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg scoring:
Pos Race/Leg Pts, Total
2 Alicante In-Port Race 5, 5
-- Leg 1* -- 5 ,
3 Cape Town In-Port Race 4, 9
3 Leg 2, Stage 1 16, 25
4 Leg 2, Stage 2 (3rd in Leg 2 overall) 3, 28
4 Abu Dhabi In-Port Race 3, 31
2 Leg 3, Stage 1 5, 36
4 Leg 3, Stage 2 12, 48
* Retired from Puma Ocean Racing website