Sport-heute: Sailing - ERICSSON 3 LEG FOUR DAY ONE

18. Januar 2009, 20:11

ERICSSON 3 LEG FOUR DAY ONE

Everybody is top focused. Grinding 100 percent and working thumbs and nails off with sail changes, helming and trimming, just to get that extra metre ahead.

VOLVO OCEAN RADE 2009, 18.1.09 (mk) It doesn't matter what's going to happen tomorrow or the day after that. When you are racing, you're living in the moment, trying to catch every shift and taking care of every opportunity to go faster.

We have started our pounding way upwind to Qingdao. But so far so good. The temperature is still nice, the seas are ok and we still haven't seen more than 20 knots.

It's going to get worse. For sure. The question is only how much worse.
Before the race started, everyone was saying that this leg is all about bringing the boat to China in one piece, preferably in ok shape to do the in-port race and then, with short notice, continue on the long leg to Rio. It will be interesting, yet a bit gut crumbling, to see how hard it will get. I'm sure everyone is at bit worried.

Our new skipper though, the legend Magnus Olsson, doesn't seem to be that bothered. It's going to take quite a lot before he tells the crew to step off the throttle.

Our meteorologist, Chris Bedford, actually suggested that maybe we should stop and wait when the really big wind arrives. Magnus thought that sounded like a totally crazy idea.

'If you can still do as little as 3 knots, it will simply mean that you're going to gain 30 miles in 10 hours, and that is a lot.'

At this moment 30 miles really feels like a lot. It has been close racing from the start and we can still sea all the boats in the fleet, even though we are starting to spread out.

Gustav Morin - MCM

*********************************************************

TELEFONICA BLUE LEG FOUR DAY 1 QFB: received 0627 GMT 18.01.09

And we are off again. We had a shocker start. I asked for starting close to the start boat, but we ended up at the pin, and we were last over the line. Not nice to go away with a start like that, as the first 60 miles is a procession, which means follow the leader. But no angry faces, we picked up two boats on the beat, so that was ok.

Singapore has been nice for us all, but it is good to be back on the water. I hadn't had time to say goodbye to our shore crew, who have, like always, done a marvellous job. They know as well how important this leg is. Not only for the scoring, but as well for us keeping the boat in one piece. The conditions in Qingdao will not be good to carryout major repairs, plus the time there is very short, it can turn easy into a nightmare for them. I promise you all to take care of your Blue baby.

Cheers,

Bouwe Bekking - skipper

*************************************************************

Leserkommentare (0) »

Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race Delta Lloyd, skippered by Roberto Bermudez (ESP) at the start of leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Singapore to Qingdao, China

Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race PUMA Ocean Racing, skippered by Ken Read (USA) at the start of leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Singapore to Qingdao, China

Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race Green Dragon, skippered by Ian Walker (GBR) at the start of leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Singapore to Qingdao, China

Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race Yachts start leg 4, Singapore to Qingdao China, race leader Ericsson 4