Sport-heute: Sailing - Telefonica Blue holt die Punkte!

05. April 2009, 19:07

Telefonica Blue holt die Punkte!

Die nächste Regatta 2011-12

Telefonica Blue hat vor der Küste Rios die Hafenregatta souverän gewonnen. Es war ein grosser Sieg von Bouwe Bekking. Auch der zweite Platz durch die Amerikaner mit Ken Reed und der Puma darf sich sehen lassen. Die grosse Überraschung war aber die total verjüngte Truppe von Wiederstarter Delta Lloyd. Der Spanier Roberto Bermudez war für diese Leistung zuständig, die dem Team die dritte Position auf dem Podium einbrachte.

Brüttisellen, 5.4.09 (mk) TOP DAY FOR TELEFÓNICA BLUE IN THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE LIGHT IN-PORT RACE

It was a great win in the ‘Light In-Port Race’ for Bouwe Bekking’s Telefónica Blue after a long postponement in Rio de Janeiro today. PUMA (Ken Read/USA) put in a solid performance to take second, but the surprise result was the outstanding performance by the rejuvenated Delta Lloyd with Spaniard, Roberto Bérmudez in charge, who took the third podium position.

Only one race was run due to the two hour postponement, but once the sea breeze filled in, there was a solid seven to 10 knot southerly breeze on the Guanabara Bay. Ian Walker and Green Dragon led the fleet off the pin end of the start line, with Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA), sailing with HRH the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden onboard, and Delta Lloyd looking good at the windward end.

Ken Read elected to start on port tack, and out in the clear air on the right hand side of the course, the choice paid off. At the first mark PUMA led the field, followed closely by Ericsson 3, the winner of leg five, with Magnus Olsson as skipper.

On the first down wind leg, Telefónica Blue and Delta Lloyd, who were mid fleet at the top mark, both benefitted from a big puff of wind on the left hand side of the course and shot into first and second place. Telefónica Blue was never challenged for the lead, but PUMA managed to slip past Delta Lloyd to steal second place.

The main action today was towards the middle of the fleet, an unusual position for the multiple Olympic medallist and local lad Torben Grael, when he found himself in
a race between Green Dragon and Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri/ESP).

Both Ericsson 4 and Telefónica Black managed to beat back Green Dragon to post fourth and fifth at the finish, pushing Ian Walker and his men into sixth place. After their superb start, Green Dragon was never really in contention and Ian Walker will no doubt be disappointed with his result today. Ericsson 3’s day was effectively over when she had to take a penalty for a port/starboard infringement with Telefónica Black.

Today’s results do not change the order on the overall leaderboard, but do close the margin between Ericsson 4 at the top and PUMA and Telefónica Blue in second and third place.

The start of leg six, 4,500 nm from Rio to Boston begins next Saturday, 11 April.

The Light In-Port Race Rio de Janeiro Results (Provisional)
1. Telefónica Blue 4.0 points
2. PUMA 3.5 points
3. Delta Lloyd 3.0 points
4. Ericsson 4: 2.5 points
5. Telefónica Black 2.0 points
6. Green Dragon 1.5 points
7. Ericsson 3: 1 points
8. Team Russia DNS

Overall Leaderboard
1. Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA): 66 points
2. PUMA (Ken Read/USA): 56.5 points
3. Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED): 54.5 points
4. Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE): 44.5 points
5. Green Dragon (Ian Walker/GBR): 41 points
6. Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri/ESP): 23 points
7. Delta Lloyd (Roberto Bermudez/ESP): 15 points
8. Team Russia (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT): 10.5 points

Leserkommentare (0) »

Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race. The Light In-port Race in the Volvo Ocean Race in Rio de Janeiro

Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race Delta Lloyd, skippered by Roberto Bermudez (ESP) finish third in the Light In-port Race in the Volvo Ocean Race in Rio de Janeiro

Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race. The Light In-port Race in the Volvo Ocean Race in Rio de Janeiro

Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race Ericsson 4 and PUMA Ocean racing cross in the Light In-port Race in the Volvo Ocean Race in Rio de Janeiro

Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race Her Royal Highness Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden with skipper Torben Grael (BRA) and the crew of Ericsson 4 prior to the start of the Light In-port Race in the Volvo Ocean Race in Rio de Janeiro