Telefónica Blue Fifth To Finish
13:35 GMT Monday, November 3rd, 2008. |
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Bouwe Bekking / NED with the crew of Telefónica Blue became the fifth team to finish leg one of the Volvo Ocean Race in Cape Town today. She crossed the finish at 11:18 GMT (13:18 local time) after an elapsed leg time of 22 days 23 hours 18 minutes 37 seconds (22:23:18:37). Even though the team has been sailing for fifth position, the crew has been working as hard as if it had been for first place.
On arrival, skipper Bouwe Bekking said, "It feels great to be here in Cape Town. It was a hard leg and we learnt a lot and I think we came back well after the breakages of the first night. It is nice to be here with my family. Seeing my family is my biggest thing to look forward to." |
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Telefonica Blue arrives into Cape
Town at the end of leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race. They
crossed the finish line at 11:18 GMT scoring 4 leg points,
claiming 5th place overall.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Navigator Simon
Fisher / GBR said, "It was a wet trip. We had a big couple
of days in the south Atlantic when the boat was completely
covered in water. We did have to bail out as, with so much
water going over the deck, some ended up below. It was good,
but hard. I think we were unlucky with the breakages, which
put us on the back foot. It was frustrating, though we were
improving all the time. We have learnt a lot in the last week,
which will help us to be a lot more competitive. Everybody
is happy and healthy and glad to be in Cape Town." |
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Telefonica Blue arrive in Cape Town
in fifth place on leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Telefónica Blue has been playing catch-up for the entire leg when an early setback cost them dearly. After motoring out to the start area, with His Majesty King Juan Carlos 1 of Spain and his daughter the Infanta Dona Elena onboard for a short time, on day two, just 20 miles from the start, part of the steering broke.
As only one rudder was working, and the crew was flying a large spinnaker, the boat immediately wiped out as the crew lost control. The boat slowed for nearly six hours while the crew tried to make a repair, but the decision was made to divert to Algeciras, in the bay of Gibraltar, for a 12-hour pitstop. |
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Telefonica Blue arrives into Cape Town
at the end of leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race. They crossed
the finish line at 11:18 GMT scoring 4 leg points, claiming
5th place overall.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Back out on
the track, the team found good breeze and the pitstop did not
appear to be as harmful as the crew first thought. Bekking,
and navigator Simon Fisher (GBR), watched the computer carefully,
looking at all their options. But, by day six, they were still
trying to claw back the miles, and patience was wearing thin. |
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Telefonica Blue arrive in Cape Town
in fifth place on leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
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On day eight, 18 October, the crew dared to fly their big repaired spinnaker. "For the first time, we are back up to our potential numbers," Bekking wrote. As the fleet ran into the Doldrums' brick wall, Telefónica Blue was back in contention, just 48nm behind PUMA. |
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Telefonica Blue arrive in Cape Town in
fifth place on leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Narrowly avoiding
a partially submerged log on day 15, the team had another near
miss, this time with something living. "Judging by the
hole it left in the water, and the speed it went away, it was
pretty big and not best pleased to see us," said Simon
Fisher at the time.
As the fleet waited for the anticipated 40-knot gales to arrive,
the crew of Telefónica Blue found themselves situated
to the east and rather too near the centre of the South Atlantic
High for comfort. "It just hurts badly," Bekking
said when the crew had to sail on the unfavoured gybe, away
from Cape Town, to escape. |
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Telefonica Blue arrive in Cape Town
in fifth place on leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
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But, as the gales swept over the fleet, Telefónica Blue had to throttle back and watch the leaders streak off into the sunset. "We were way too close to the edge, too early," explained
Simon Fisher.
Day 20 and the Spanish crew took a dive south
and spotted their first Albatross. The sun was shining, the
wind had eased and the waves were just a little bit smaller. |
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Telefonica Blue's Skipper Bouwe Bekking
from the Netherlands waves to the crowd.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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For the first
time in days, life onboard Telefónica Blue was a good.
The team had overhauled three boats and was now in fifth place,
but, on day 22, once again the boat flipped on its side as
she careered out of control. All hands were called on deck
to drop the spinnaker, which had fallen in the water, but miraculously
had stayed in one piece. |
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Telefonica Blue's Skipper Bouwe Bekking
and crew dockside in Cape Town after completing Leg
1 of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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The leg finished with the boat playing her Stealth card yesterday and keeping the advances from Team Russia in abeyance. "We sailed tactically well this last couple of days, and played the 'stealth' card very well," said Bekking this morning.
The next boat to finish will be Team Russia later this afternoon.
Leg One Finishing Order into Cape Town
1. Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael / BRA)
2. PUMA USA (Ken Read / USA)
3. Ericsson 3 SWE (Anders Lewander / SWE)
4. Green Dragon IRL / CHN (Ian Walker / GBR)
5. Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking / NED)
Overall Leaderboard (Provisional)
1. Ericsson 4: 14 points (FINISHED)
2. PUMA : 13 points (FINISHED)
3. Green Dragon: 11 points (FINISHED)
4. Telefónica Blue: 10 points (FINISHED)
5. Telefónica Black: 6 points (RACING)
6. Ericsson 3: 5 points (FINISHED)
7. Delta Lloyd: 2 points (RACING)
8. Team Russia: 1 point (RACING)
Visit www.volvooceanrace.org for
all the latest news!
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