Sport-heute: Sailing - Ein stolzer Gewinner! Ericcson 3

27. März 2009, 03:06

Ein stolzer Gewinner! Ericcson 3

Mit 3 Tagen Rückstand am Start - am Schluss in Rio als Sieger!

Heute Morgen um 0737 Ortszeit oder 1037 GMT hat der Schwede auf Ericcson 3 Magnus Olsson mit seiner Besatzung die Ziellinie in Guanabara Bay überfahren. Rio de Janeiro ist Wirklichkeit geworden. Nach 41 langen Tagen ohne Unterbruch auf hoher See. Mit 12.300 Meilen ist es die längste Etappe in allen 36 Austragungen der Volvo Ocean Race geworden. Der 60-jährige Magnus Olsson ist dabei der älteste aller Teilnehmer die je an der Race mitmachten. Sein jungen Navigator, der Norweger Aksel Magdahl (30), ist die Hälfte vom Alter von Olsson und startete in diesem Wettbewerb zum Erstenmal. Das Lächeln nach genau 40 Tagen 5 Stunden 37 Minuten und 57 Sekunden sprach heute Morgen Bände. Olsson ist einer der beliebtesten Kapitäne.

Volvo Ocean Race, 26.3.09 (mk) "Es ist unglaublich. Wit hatten eine fantastische Strategie. Aksel hat hervorragende Arbeit geleistet. Wir waren so Müde, aber wir haben unseren Kampfgeist immer behalten - bis zum Schluss. Wir segelten sehr gut und unsere Leistung war die ganze Zeit 100%. Wir haben das Boot bis auf's letzte gequält und waren dabei es zu zerstören. Wir haben es aber geschafft, ein Gleichgewicht zu finden. Es ist uns gelungen mit unserem Boot eins in eins zu sein." Sagte Olsson.

"Dieser Sieg ist um so bemerkenswerter. Wir waren drei Tage im Rückstand, den wir sind von unserer Reperatur auf Taiwan, drei Tage zu spät an den Start gekommen. Wir fuhren damals in Quingdao gleich durch." meinte Aksel.

Ericcson 3 erlitt damals schwere strukturelle Schäden bei den Stürmen im chinesischen Meer. Das Team wurde gezwungen die Etappe aufzugeben. Es bestand die Gefahr des Sinkens. In Taiwan haben sie mit Speziallisten das Boot wieder flott gekriegt.

Der Skipper Simon Fisher von Telefonica Blue fügt hinzu:" Es wird sich bei der Analyse noch herausstellen, ob sie Genies waren oder vom Wahnsinn getriebene.

Leg Fünf Finishing Bestellen Rio
1. Ericsson 3: 8 Punkte

Gesamt-Tabelle (vorläufigen)
1. Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael / BRA) 56,5 Punkte (RACING)
2. PUMA (Ken Read / USA) 47 Punkte (RACING)
3. Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking / NED) 46,5 Punkte (RACING)
4. Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson / SWE) 43.5 (abgeschl.)
5. Green Dragon (Ian Walker / GBR) 34.5 (RACING)

6. Telefónica Black 21 (DNS)
7. Delta Lloyd 12 (DNS)
8. Team Russland 10.5 (DNS)

Die Mails von den Booten

TELEFÓNICA BLUE LEG FIVE DAY 41 QFB: received 26.03.09 2155 GMT

Hi there,

Late yesterday afternoon we finally escaped the clutches of the high pressure that had been slowing our progress for the previous couple of days.

I am happy to report we are now doing 13-14 knots pointed straight at Rio. As a result we are shedding the miles to go a little quicker than in the last few days, which comes as good news to all on board as the countdown has definitely begun. The 'distance to waypoint' seems to keep popping up on the displays around the boat as everyone is becoming anxious to tick off the last few hundred miles of what has been a very, very long leg!

I think everyone is silently wishing for the last few hundred miles to be smooth and uneventful although a near miss with a massive black cloud that quickly spread across the horizon shortly before daylight this morning reminded us that there could be plenty more shenanigans to come before we finally arrive at the finish line. Luckily the cloud in question was avoided without hindrance but you could tell everyone was hoping that it wasn't going to be the first of many. As to whether this is the case or not we will have to wait and see...

Cheers,

Simon Fisher - helmsman
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PUMA LEG FIVE DAY 41 QFB: received 26.03.09 1816 GMT

Zero. That is what the boat speed reads right now - 80 miles from the finish, 40 odd miles behind Ericsson 4.

To put this in perspective, we made six miles toward the finish in the last three hour position reports and gained on E4!

It is pretty light air out here with no end in sight. Here is a run down on what we have got going.

1. We have been told by our shore team that we get whatever food we want when we arrive. We have chosen the best steaks that money can buy, veggies, fruit, rum, coke and beer. Pretty basic but I think we are in a pretty basic mood.

2. The crew continues to ease and trim by the millimetre to get every inch out of this vessel. I’m very proud of this group. No outward signs of frustration and very professional.

3. Ricky (Rick Deppe) and Bob (Rob Salthouse) have done a great job with the food. Essentially, we have had nearly full meals all the way up until now. We brought half a cabin worth of food on this leg! More bags than we could store. Also, we brought enough food for the maximum projected amount of days that this leg would take, with provisions on how we could stretch it out if necessary. Mother Nature hasn't cooperated. It is what it is. Like everything else in this race, we just deal with it. No complaints from this group.

4. Referring back to #3...we have one more meal left for tonight and a bag of peanuts for the morning. Besides that, we have unlimited amounts of water. We will be quite hungry at some point if the breeze doesn't fill in. Again, we will deal with it.

Everything else is peachy. We dug up another tube of sunscreen - a big bonus. We are trading iPods and watching movies on off watches - essentially trying to kill the hours as best we can when not on deck trying to urge the yacht to move. When in doubt stay out of the sun. We are simply a group of pros continuing to do their jobs in what most would consider a pretty unfortunate situation.

Oh yeah, we are in a boat race as well. Back to work.

Kenny Read - skipper
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ERICSSON 4 TAKES SECOND ON LONGEST LEG OF THE COURSE

Ericsson Racing Team made it a one/two today in leg five of the Volvo Ocean Race when Ericsson 4 crossed the finish line at 2257 GMT (1957 local time) in skipper Torben Grael’s home port of Rio de Janeiro, to stand second on the podium next to Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE) who took line honours earlier today.

Ericsson 4 now extends her overall lead to 63.5 points; 10.5 points ahead of PUMA (Ken Read/USA) who, provided she finishes this leg in her current third position, will retain second place overall. At the time of Ericsson 4’s finish, PUMA had 49.4 nm to run and was making 10 knots of boatspeed. This is the third leg win for Torben Grael and Ericsson 4. They also won both legs one and two as well as taking maximum points for the in-port race series in Singapore and Qingdao.

After being at sea for 40 days 17 hours 57 minutes and 44 seconds, to the delight of the large and noisy home town crowd who had been waiting for this moment all day, the Brazilian skipper, said: “We have been dreaming of this moment all week long and it is great to be home. The reception has been beautiful.”

Ericsson 4 was the leader of the pack when the Volvo fleet was faced with the decision as to how to tackle the islands of Fiji on day 16, 1 March. Skipper, Torben Grael chose the easterly option, along with Ericsson 3 and Green Dragon and led the field across the first scoring gate to earn four points. Ericsson 3 then made her brave move to the north and Ericsson 4 was left to fight for second place with PUMA (Ken Read/USA).

Speaking of Ericsson 3 performance, Grael said, “They made a very great move after the gate and it was clever. They gained a big advantage, but we managed to pull back but they pulled away again and we never had a real chance. They made a fantastic effort all the way from Taiwan.”

British navigator, Jules Salter added, “We needed a break in the weather to get past Ericsson 3 but that never came and the guys sailed very well. We have all sailed together a lot and they learned from us and learned from them, so we have created something great. They sailed really well.”

PUMA (Ken Read/USA) continued to put the pressure on Ericsson 4 and the two teams were close by for much of the leg until day 25, 10 March, when Ericsson 4 pulled out a lead over PUMA that they were never able to challenge. Ericsson 4 followed Ericsson 3 around Cape Horn, gaining a further 3.5 points, and the position remained unchanged until the finish in Rio today.

Leg Five Finishing Order Rio
1. Ericsson 3: 8 points
2. Ericsson 4: 7 points

Overall Leaderboard (Provisional)
1. Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA) 63.5 points (FINISHED)
2. PUMA (Ken Read/USA) 47 points (RACING)
3. Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED) 46.5 points (RACING)
4. Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE) 43.5 (FINISHED)
5. Green Dragon (Ian Walker/GBR) 34.5 (RACING)

6. Telefónica Black 21 (DNS)
7. Delta Lloyd 12 (DNS)
8. Team Russia 10.5 (DNS)
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Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race. Ericsson 3, skippered by Magnus Olsson (SWE) finish first into Rio de Janeiro on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, crossing the line at 10:37:57 GMT 26/03/09, after 41 days at sea

Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race Ericsson 3, skippered by Magnus Olsson (SWE) (pictured) finish first into Rio de Janeiro on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, crossing the line at 10:37:57 GMT 26/03/09, after 41 days at sea

Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race Magnus Olsson is greeted by Telefonica Black navigator and fellow Swede, Roger Nilson

Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race Ericsson 3, skippered by Magnus Olsson (SWE) finish first into Rio de Janeiro on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, crossing the line at 10:37:57 GMT 26/03/09, after 41 days at sea

Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race Ericsson 3, skippered by Magnus Olsson (SWE) finish first into Rio de Janeiro on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, crossing the line at 10:37:57 GMT 26/03/09, after 41 days at sea

Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race Magnus Olsson is greeted by Watch Captain Richard Mason (NZL) who missed out on leg 5 due to injury