Sport-heute: Sailing - Besuch beim König von Schweden

19. Juni 2009, 10:23

Besuch beim König von Schweden

Telefonica Blue wieder unterwegs

Während die Finisher der neunten Etappe im schwedischen Königshaus zu Gast waren, sind die Männer der Telefonica Blue, wieder auf dem Wasser. Es ist eine Schande für uns, was wir gemacht haben. Wir waren Anfänger. So MCM Gabri Olivio. Wie kann man so blöd sein und auf Grund zu fahren. Jedenfalls haben uns viele liebe Menschen geholfen das Boot zu reparieren. Das Problem war, dass wir den beschädigten Seitenkiel nicht aus der Fassung brachten, so war das Ding verbogen, die fast 3 Tonnen schwere Yacht hat da schon Wucht gehabt. Jedenfalls haben wir es schlussendlich mit Kran und der Hebelwirkung doch noch geschafft.Es wurde geschliffen, geflickt und zurechtgebogen. Seit heute früh, sind sie nun wieder auf hoher See.

Brüttisellen, 17.6.09 (mk) Wir möchten uns bedanken, bei all den lieben Menschen, die uns geholfen haben das Boot wieder flott zu kriegen. Die Besatzung hat dazu einen fantastischen Job gemacht. Danken möchten wir auch der Frau am Quai in ihrem kleinen Kaffee, die uns täglich auf ihre Kosten zweimal zu Kaffee und Kuchen eingeladen hat.

Telefonica Blue Leg Nine Day 3 QFB; received 16.06.09 1525 GMT

Amazingly enough, from a convulsed mass of lead, now the bulb is back in its original shape, at least as close as it can be… I have no enough words to describe how thankful to the shore team we are, they’re doing an incredible job fixing everything up. We’re helping them as much as we can. This morning at 4am a group of people, Daryl Wislang, Pepe Ribes, Iker Martinez, Xabi Fernandez and Patan (Pablo Arrarte), went down to the boat and sanded the bulb.

What is really good to see is that everyone is doing the best they can, helping here and there to make good progress with the repair. Yesterday, the bulb was straightened up by using a big hammer. Six people alternating hammering the thing down for the first part, but the bulb didn’t move much. Then came the big Volvo Digger, but it was a bit of too much power for us. The best solution was to warm the aft end of the bulb up to a superficial temperature of 150 degrees and we ended up using a lifting beam as Archimede lever. The beam, that is normally employed to lift small boats out of the water, was lashed down at one end; the fulcro was on the bulb and at the opposite end, there were seven people acting a force of nearly three tons on the bulb.

A few seconds of leverage and job done, the bulb was incredibly straight again. We were all very surprised to see how close to perfection it was. At the present moment, the bulb is being faired and sanded down, hopefully tonight they will spray it and it will be ready soon after that. The daggerboard case has been closed up with a panel, but it needs lots of lamination to beef up the whole area. We’re still looking for late tomorrow night maybe Thursday morning to go back in the water and start racing again.

My best compliments to all the guys of Ericsson 4, they sailed a fantastic race, making very little mistakes and they deserve this overall victory. Well done guys.

Also congratulations to Puma, they deserve winning this leg, after we pulled out. It’s a shame for us because it would have been really interesting to see a close battle between us two.

But it’s not over until it’s over.

Gabri Olivo - MCM2e

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Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race Carl Gustav of Sweden meets Torben Grael, Skipper of Ericsson 4 and provisional winner of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 (second from right) and Magnus Olssen, Skipper of Ericsson 3 (right), at a royal reception for the skippers and crew in Stockholm.

Ericsson 3 skipper Magnus Olsson arrives to the dock after winning the Stockholm Sprint Race. Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 in Stockholm, Sweden. Photo credit: Oskar Kihlborg/ Ericsson Racing Team 2009

Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race. The City Sprint from Sandhamn, the finish line of leg 9, to the city of Stockholm

Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race. The City Sprint from Sandhamn, the finish line of leg 9, to the city of Stockholm

Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race. The City Sprint from Sandhamn, the finish line of leg 9, to the city of Stockholm

Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race Telefonica shore crews work around the clock to fix the damage sustained when they ran aground at the start of leg 9

Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race Telefonica shore crews work around the clock to fix the damage sustained when they ran aground at the start of leg 9

Gabriele Olivo/Telefonica Blue/Volvo Ocean Race Telefonica shore crews work around the clock to fix the damage sustained when they ran aground at the start of leg 9

Besuch beim König von Schweden

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