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Ericsson 4 Sets New Record
Leg 1 Day 19 - 17:06 GMT October 29th, 2008. |
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From the Volvo
Ocean Race Media Team. |
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At 13:10 GMT
today, Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael / BRA) obliterated the 24-hour
record run for a monohull when the team recorded a run of 593.23
nautical miles. The previous record (562.96 nm) was set by
ABN AMRO TWO / Sebastian Josse / FRA during leg two of the
previous Volvo Ocean Race in 2006. The new mark is subject
to ratification by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.
PUMA (Ken Read / USA), in second place, has covered 561 nm, just short
of ABN AMRO TWO's record. The new mark translates into an incredible
average speed of 24.71 knots in conditions not best suited for a record-setting
run. |
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Ericsson 4 passes through the scoring
gate earlier at Fernando de Noronha, during leg 1 of
the Volvo Ocean Race.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Skipper Torben
Grael and his crew have been pushing the boat hard all night,
first eclipsing the previous mark at 03:55 GMT. They have been
adding to the record since then, although the current 30 knots
of wind is likely to ease.
"It is a great achievement, but we were not really looking for it," said
Grael in a radio interview this morning. "What we were looking for was a
good ride on this weather system, and to stay in it as long as possible."
Grael said: "We are doing 30 knots of boat speed. The wind is around
28 - 32 knots but the waves (around eight metres) are not very good for
us. Conditions are marginal. I think we have been pretty much on the
edge. Perhaps if we had a better sea state, we might be able to go faster,
but it is hard to go faster with waves like this." |
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Ericsson 4 passes through the scoring
gate earlier at Fernando de Noronha, during leg 1 of
the Volvo Ocean Race.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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This will be
the third time that Juan Kouyoumdjian has produced a record-breaking
design. The Argentinean was responsible for drawing the lines
of the two ABN AMRO boats both of whom held the record in the
previous edition of the race, as well as the current Ericsson
4.
For some days now the teams have been anticipating the possibility of
a record-breaking run as they ride the current weather system, but concern
over damage has led some to back off a little bit.
Simon Fisher, navigator of Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking / NED)
paid tribute to Grael and the crew of Ericsson 4. Fisher was the navigator
on ABN AMRO TWO when it set the previous record.
"We have been way too close to the edge too early and, consequently, had
to throttle back whilst watching the leaders streaking off into the sunset with
a new 24 hour record," Fisher wrote this morning.
"Each position report has had the same frustrating story - more lost miles
to the leaders. However at the same time it has been hard not to smile a little
when you see the pace that Ericsson 4 has laid down. Deeply, deeply impressive
to say the least. It is a shame to see our old record from ABN AMRO TWO go, but,
at the same time, these things are made to be broken and those boys are certainly
doing it with style." |
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Green Dragon was first to pass through
the scoring gate of Fernando de Noronha, earlier during
leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Last night,
Ian Walker / GBR, skipper of third-placed Green Dragon, and
a newcomer to this race, wrote: "This is insane. Thirty-five
knots of wind, pitch black, 1500 miles from land and we are
desperately trying to squeeze more speed from a boat that feels
and sounds like it is going to self destruct any second." The
boat is currently sailing at around 29 knots.
From Team Russia (Andreas Hanakamp / AUT), navigator Wouter Verbraak
says that on deck the spray-helmets are out and everybody on deck has
their harness clipped on. "Below decks we are desperately trying
to hang on in our bunks. The crashing, banging and squeaking of the rudders,
the roaring of the water over the deck and the rushing of the water along
the hull are just insane, and it is only when you put some music on your
iPod that you can escape from this world of violence."
Both Team Russia and Delta Lloyd (Ger O'Rourke) have taken a dive south
to reach the favourable westerlies.
At 13:00 today, Ericsson 4 was positioned slightly north of PUMA with
Green Dragon behind them. Further north still is Ericsson 3 (Anders's
Lewander / SWE) with Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking / NED) and
Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri / ESP) behind and
to windward.
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The crew of Telefonica Black check
and repair sails in preperation for some strong wind
to Cape Town, on leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Photo © Mikel Pasabant / Equipo Telefonica / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Telefónica
Black has ripped two sails, which according to MCM Mikel Pasabant,
made last night even harder, but the team was cheered to see
their first Albatross, considered to be a good omen.
"Let's see what happens. He is a magic bird, the way he flies, without moving
a single feather, effortless... amazing," described Pasabant.
Leg One Day 19 - 13:15 GMT Volvo Ocean Race Positions
(boat name / country / skipper /n ationality / distance to leader)
Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael / BRA) DTF 1694
PUMA Racing Team USA (Ken Read / USA) +34
Green Dragon IRL / CHN (Ian Walker / GBR) +76
Ericsson 3 SWE (Anders Lewander / SWE) +113
Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking / NED) +145
Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri / ESP) +155
Delta Lloyd IRL (Ger O'Rourke / IRL) +315
Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp / AUT) +337
Visit www.volvooceanrace.org for
all the latest news! |
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The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 will be the 10th
running of this ocean marathon. Starting from Alicante in Spain,
on 4 October 2008 with in-port racing, it will, for the first
time, take in Cochin, India, Singapore and Qingdao, China before
finishing in St Petersburg, Russia for the first time in the
history of the race.
Spanning some 37,000 nautical miles, stopping
at 11 ports and taking nine months to complete,
the Volvo Ocean Race is the world's premier
yacht race for professional racing crews. |
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The official website: www.volvooceanrace.org |
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