Marcelo Ferreira rejoins Delta Lloyd for Boston in-port race

by Volvo Ocean Race media on 5 May 2009 Olympic legend Marcelo Ferreira has confirmed he will rejoin Delta Lloyd for the Boston in-port race on Saturday.

The popular Brazilian trimmer made an immediate impact on his last outing with the team, helping Roberto Bermudez's rejuvenated crew to a stunning third-place result when they raced around the cans in Rio de Janeiro.

He has now been signed up to race this weekend, as well as the May 30 inshore showdown in Galway. The 43-year-old has also been asked to sail the in-port race in Stockholm, but is not yet certain whether he will be available.

'When Chuny (Bermudez) asked me to do it I was very flattered,' said Ferreira, who partnered Ericsson 4 skipper Torben Grael to two Olympic gold medals and one bronze.

'I love to sail these boats, they are so fast, so powerful. Delta Lloyd has some great people onboard, a very nice team of sailors. I am very much looking forward to sailing with them.'

Among the scalps claimed in Brazil was Ericsson 4 - a feat Ferreira is desperate to repeat.

'It will be nice to try and beat some of the big teams again,' he said. 'It is always great to race against Torben and it was very nice to beat him last time!

'But this team is going very well at the moment and I hope it continues.'

Evidence of the team's improvement was provided when they rounded the leg six scoring gate in third place. They ultimately finishing sixth, but Ferreira followed the leg and saw some encouraging signs.

'They did very well,' he added. 'To get third at Fernando de Noronha was very impressive. I was very happy for them. They were a bit unlucky towards the end but they have made big improvements. It will be very fun to sail with the team again.'

Ferreira's links with Bermudez go back even further. The pair sailed together on Grael's Brasil 1 in the last race and Ferreira is looking forward to working with him again.

'It is always nice to sail with your friends. I have many on that boat and I hope we can get another good result,' he said.

'I will also sail in Ireland and maybe in Sweden. I have another regatta at that time, but maybe that can change.

'It is great fun to sail these boats and I am very excited to come back.'