Sport-heute: Sailing - TELEFÓNICA HOLD OFF GROUPAMA TO WIN TREACHEROUS, EXHAUSTING LEG 3

05. Februar 2012, 04:06

TELEFÓNICA HOLD OFF GROUPAMA TO WIN TREACHEROUS, EXHAUSTING LEG 3

Sanya, China – Telefónica became the first team since Steinlager 2 in 1989-90 to win the first three legs of the Volvo Ocean Race when they held off the challenge of Groupama sailing team to arrive first into the Chinese port of Sanya on Saturday. Team Telefonica, skippered by Iker Martinez from Spain finishes first on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Sanya, China. (Photo Credit must read: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race).

Zürich, 4.2.12 mk (mk) Team Telefónica, skippered by co-World Sailor of the Year Iker Martínez, finished at 03:58:22 UTC to complete the second stage of Leg 3 from the Maldives in 12 days and take 24 points. Groupama came in at 05:45:25 UTC to clinch second place. CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand finished in third to round out the podium finishers and remains in second place overall.

With three points in the bag from their performance in Stage 1 of this leg – a one-day sprint from Abu Dhabi to Sharjah – Telefónica sealed overall victory in Leg 3. The result sees them strengthen their position at the top of the overall standings with a total of 95 points.

Having navigated the tricky and treacherous Malacca Strait earlier in the week, Martínez said it was by far the most dangerous leg that he has ever sailed in a boat.

Navigator Andrew Cape, who masterminded Telefónica’s route from the Maldives to Sanya, added: “I never thought we were going to win this leg to be honest. I just felt that something was going to go wrong because there are too many stages where I couldn’t see the outcome, so I’m really relieved to get in without anything going bad. Mentally it was very difficult, tactically very difficult… It’s one of the toughest legs I’ve done.”

Crossing the line, Groupama skipper Franck Cammas said the result had once again boosted confidence on the French boat.

“I think we did good work on the first two legs without seeing a result but now we’re seeing results. For sure the confidence is high on Groupama 4 now.

“The last few days were very hard for the crew. There were lots of manoeuvres, we tacked about 25 times in the last 24 hours in rough seas which was very tough on the crew. It wasn’t easy but the result was we got second place.”

Telefónica´s latest victory was remarkable given the damage they suffered to their code zero sail just hours after the start in the Maldives, a setback that pushed them into last place. After completing a repair job overseen by Jordi Calafat, Telefónica made the strategic decision, along with CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, to take a hitch to the north.

By day four, the damaged sail was hoisted and Telefónica rose up the order by seven miles to fourth place. On January 26 on day five, Telefónica overtook both Groupama and CAMPER to take the lead – a lead that they would not relinquish over the final week of racing.

Telefónica faced a major test on day eight with both Groupama and PUMA in close chase, but Olympic gold medallist Martínez kept a cool head and by that evening they were leading the fleet to the open waters of the South China Sea.

Telefónica then held off a spirited charge from Groupama again on Day 12 off the coast of Vietnam and extended their lead to the finish line for the win, not only claiming a third victory, but making history as well.

Hundreds of fans flooded to the Sanya Race Village prior to Telefónica’s victorious arrival to help celebrate the official opening ceremony. A colourful array of fireworks exploded overhead as several local dignitaries addressed the crowd. It is the second consecutive time that the Volvo Ocean Race is stopping in China.

The In-Port race in Sanya is scheduled for February 18 with the Leg 4 Start to Auckland, New Zealand, coming one February 19.

VNR SHOTLIST #1 – TELEFÓNICA WIN LEG 3 VNR
00:00-00:05 OPEN SLATE
00:05-00:13 GVs of Race Village
00:13-00:18 Telefónica arriving off coastline
00:18-00:23 Close-up Telefónica
00:23-00:39 Finish line footage & finish horn
00:39-00:48 Close-up of Telefónica celebration
00:49-00:54 Telefónica heading to port
00:54-01:00 Fans celebrate
01:00-01:08 Telefónica arrives at dock
01:09-01:14 Local fans
01:14-01:19 Celebrations on-board
01:19-01:24 Iker Martínez greets crowd
01:24-01:39 Podium prize-giving ceremony
01:40-01:45 GVs fans
01:45-01:49 Telefónica on podium
01:50-01:54 QUOTE SLATE
01:55-02:51 English Quote – Iker Martínez, Skipper, Team Telefonica
“Well I am feeling great, feeling fantastic. I am also feeling a little bit strange because it was a pretty stressful that leg. We were always afraid not only of losing the leg but also of breaking something important. Have a collision or something else. The most dangerous leg I have ever done in a boat and that was always putting ourselves in a… I don’t know how to say in English… pretty stressful. I’m happy not only to see everyone pushing hard and paying attention and trying to keep the boat in one piece. You know that’s something very important for such a long race. In all the legs we were good… I don’t know, there is no secret. All the things have been happening good and during nine months, they are going to be good, they are going to be wrong, then they are going to be good again. We are just trying to do our best and until now it’s happening alright, it’s good.”
02:52-02:57 QUOTE SLATE
02:57-03:41 Spanish Quote – Iker Martínez, Skipper, Team Telefónica
03:41-03:46 END SLATE

VNR SHOTLIST #2 – GROUPAMA PLACE SECOND VNR
00:00-00:05 OPEN SLATE
00:05-00:13 Groupama arriving in Sanya
00:13-00:17 Close-up of Franck Cammas
00:17-00:22 Groupama boat-to-boat
00:22-00:37 Groupama crossing finish line
00:37-00:44 Groupama crew celebrating
00:44-00:48 Groupama arriving at dock
00:49-02:05 Quote (French)– Franck Cammas, Skipper, Groupama sailing team
02:05-02:19 Cammas waving to crowd
02:19-02:32 Groupama prize ceremony
02:32-02:37 END SLATE

VNR SHOTLIST #3 – RACE VILLAGE OPENING VNR
00:00-00:05 OPEN SLATE
00:05-00:15 GVs of Race Village
00:15-00:30 GVs of ceremony
00:30-00:35 Official opening
00:35-00:45 Crowd & dragons
00:45-00:54 GVs of village
00:55-00:59 Volvo car demonstration
00:59-01:05 Fan photos
01:05-01:09 GVs of race village
01:09-01:14 END SLATE

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Team Telefonica, skippered by Iker Martinez from Spain finishes first on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Sanya, China. (Photo Credit must read: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race)

A blessed water bath awaits the sailors finishing leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Sanya, China. (Photo Credit must read: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race)

Team Telefonica, skippered by Iker Martinez from Spain go through customs after finishing first on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Sanya, China. (Photo Credit must read: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race)

eam Telefonica, skippered by Iker Martinez from Spain finishes first on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Sanya, China. (Photo Credit must read: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race)

Xabi Fernandez steps off Team Telefonica, skippered by Iker Martinez from Spain as they finish first on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Sanya, China. (Photo Credit must read: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race)

Drummers play in the Sanya race village as the fleet finish leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Sanya, China. (Photo Credit must read: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race)

Groupama Sailing Team, skippered by Franck Cammas from France finishes second on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Sanya, China. (Credit: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race)

Groupama Sailing Team, skippered by Franck Cammas from France finishes second on leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 from Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Sanya, China. (Credit: IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race)

TELEFÓNICA HOLD OFF GROUPAMA TO WIN TREACHEROUS, EXHAUSTING LEG 3

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