Telefónica Black evacuates injured crewman
Leg 6 Day 2 - 14:33 GMT Sunday, April 12, 2009. |
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| After leading the fleet out of the Guanabara Bay at the start of Volvo Ocean Race leg six in Rio yesterday, Fernando Echávarri’s bowman, Mike Pammenter from South Africa, had to be taken off the racing yacht by a support boat after injuring his ankle. |
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Fernando's Echavarri's Telefonica Black,
which burst out of the starting blocks on Saturday
afternoon, will sail the leg into Boston one man short.
Bowman Michael Pammenter has injured his foot, and
was taken back to the Marina da Gloria by a support
boat. Under the race rules, the team cannot replace
him during this leg. Upon arrival at the marina, Pammenter
was transferred to hospital to have his leg and foot
examined.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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| Although not broken, the injury to his ankle was serious enough to warrant the evacuation of Pammenter from the boat in order
that his ankle would have time to heal fully ahead of the trans-Atlantic leg to Galway from Boston in May. |
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Bowman Michael Pammenter has injured his foot, and
was taken back to the Marina da Gloria by a support
boat. Under the race rules, the team cannot replace
him during this leg. Upon arrival at the marina, Pammenter
was transferred to hospital to have his leg and foot
examined.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Pammenter is very disappointed. "I feel sorry for the guys, I feel I have let them down," he said.
The accident happened before the top mark as the fleet left Rio yesterday when, during a manoeuvre, Pammenter’s foot became entangled in the genoa sheet, which then flicked him into the mast. |
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Battling for position, at the start of
Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Rio
de Janeiro to
Boston.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
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| Meanwhile, out on the race track, the fleet of seven has been trying to make the best of the very light airs, creeping within one mile of the shore. The breeze has stayed around three to four knots from the north and the keeping close to the shore offers the possibility of more land breeze. |
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PUMA Ocean Racing, skippered by Ken
Read (USA) at the start of leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean
Race, from Rio
de Janeiro to Boston.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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| "The latest seven day forecast does not look promising," noted Roger Nilson, the Swedish navigator onboard Telefónica Black. |
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Delta Lloyd, skippered by Roberto Bermudez
(ESP) at the start of leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race,
from Rio
de Janeiro to Boston.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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| Not even a hundred miles have been chalked up since the start yesterday and at 13:00 GMT today, the boats were all still within 10 miles of each other. Boats speeds are a miserable three knots at best - for Telefónica Blue, which is in the lead and 0.5 for Delta Lloyd, which is bringing up the rear. |
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Battling for position, at the start
of Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Rio
de Janeiro to Boston.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
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| Green Dragon is in second place just two miles behind the blue bloat. PUMA is still in third place with Ericsson 4 on her hip, while a mile further back is Ericsson 3. |
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Ericsson 4, skippered by Torben Grael
(BRA) at the start of leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race,
from Rio
de Janeiro to Boston.
Photo © Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race.
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| The whole fleet, except Delta Lloyd has passed the headland of Cabo Frio. Delta Lloyd is just 0.7nm off the southern tip. |
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Telefonica Blue, skippered by Bouwe
Bekking (NED) at the start of leg 6 of the Volvo
Ocean Race, from Rio
de Janeiro to Boston.
Photo © Dave Kneale / Volvo Ocean Race.
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Leg 6 Day 2 - 13:00 GMT Volvo Ocean Race Positions
(Boat name / country / skipper / nationality / distance to finish)
1. Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking / NED) DTF 4,806 nm
2. Green Dragon IRL / CHN (Ian Walker / GBR) +2
3. PUMA Racing Team USA (Ken Read / USA) +5
4. Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael / BRA) +5
5. Ericsson 3 SWE (Magnus Olsson / SWE) +6
6. Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri / ESP) +7
7. Delta Lloyd IRL (Roberto Bermúdez / ESP) +10
8. Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp / AUT) DNS
Visit www.volvooceanrace.org for
all the latest news! |
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