Ready to Race in Rio
16:59 GMT Friday, April 3, 2009. |
 |
The Volvo Ocean Race fleet returns to sea this weekend for the ‘Light In-Port Race’ on Guanabara Bay, just off the Marina da Gloria in Rio de Janeiro.
Two races are scheduled on Saturday, beginning at 13:00 local time (16:00 GMT), and they will be scored as a series. The winner on the day will be awarded four scoring points towards the overall Volvo Ocean Race leaderboard. |
|
Boat maintenance in the Rio de Janeiro
haul out area after more than 40 days of sailing in
Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
|
 |
|
|
A light to moderate sea breeze is forecast for Saturday afternoon, with conditions clearing, following what has been an overcast and wet week in Rio.
Torben Grael, the skipper on the overall race leader, Ericsson 4, is a man with plenty of experience on Guanabara Bay. The Brazilian Olympic medallist says it will be a tricky place to sail and he hopes to use his local knowledge to his advantage. |
|
Ericsson 3 skipper Magnus Olsson (SWE)
left, Her Royal Highness Victoria, Crown Princess of
Sweden centre, and Ericsson 4 skipper Torben Grael
(BRA) right, at the Volvo Ocean Race Village in Rio
de Janeiro.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
|
 |
|
|
"It’s not an easy place to sail normally," he said at a press conference on Friday. "It’s not a place with the same pattern every day. It looks like we’re going to have a sea breeze which is the best we can have for the race here. The rain is going to clear up and we’ll have perfect conditions for the race."
That’s good news as Ericsson 4 is scheduled to have a very special
guest on board: Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland. She has been visiting the Volvo Ocean Race Village in Rio today, and will sail with Grael and his team, tomorrow. |
|
Her Royal Highness Victoria, Crown
Princess of Sweden, visits the Volvo Ocean Race Village
in Rio de Janeiro. The Princess will be racing onboard
Ericsson 4 with Torben Grael for the Light In-port
Race in the Volvo Ocean Race on Saturday 4th April.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
|
 |
|
|
Ken Read, the skipper of the il mostro, is the closest challenger to Ericsson 4. He said they’ll be looking to sail their own race, while acknowledging Torben is surely going to be feeling at home on the water here.
"We have to go and try to teach the master his own game," he said. "It’s not easy sailing against somebody who’s sailed so much in this area. We’ll have one eye on them and one eye on trying to win a boat race." |
|
A spreader camera mounted on PUMA Ocean
Racing's mast, used to document life onboard during
the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
|
 |
|
|
The ‘Light In-Port Race in the Volvo Ocean Race’ also sees the return of Telefónica Black and Team Delta Lloyd, both of whom arrived in Rio by ship, missing the leg from Qingdao after suffering damage during Leg 4 of the race. Both teams are eager to make up for lost time.
"The ‘new’ Delta Lloyd has a new bow, a new mast, and a few new good sails too. We’ve spent two weeks testing everything and I think we’re ready for the in port and next leg," said skipper Roberto Bérmudez. The team has also added three new crew members, all with Volvo Ocean Race experience. |
|
Longitudial frames are installed below
decks on Delta Lloyd in Rio de Janeiro during major
repairs to her bow section.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
|
 |
|
|
Similarly, Telefónica Black expects a boost for the in-port race from the addition of double Olympic Gold Medallist Luis Doreste, who will sail as tactician.
"It was disappointing to miss the leg, but now we are coming back," said skipper Fernando Echávarri. "I think the boat is healthy now and we are trying - as always - will do our best." |
|
Skippers press conference in Rio
de Janeiro prior to the Light In-port Race in the
Volvo Ocean Race.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
|
 |
|
|
| The ‘Light
In-Port Race in the Volvo Ocean Race’ will be broadcast
live with English commentary on www.volvooceanrace.org.
The site will also carry live English and Spanish audio commentary,
and of course, we’ll have full reports and reaction along
with photos from the race course. |
|
