Speed freaks in Oslo

Jon Amtrup reports on the latest from the Nokia Oops Cup

TietoEnator has struggled to keep up so far in Nokia Oops Cup. But this Sunday they finally got up to speed after changing roles on board the Finnish trimaran. Kenneth Thelen took the helm and Thomas Johanson the role as tactician. The result: TietoEnator secured first place in Oslo Speed Race

"You can always trust Kenneth when he is at the helm, and now I've got to do what I am best at," said Thomas Johanson, the former 49er Olympic champion.

Up until Oslo City Race TietoEnator was in fifth place of the six boats in Nokia Oops Cup, but when the two sailors changed roles they took a huge step forward.

"It feels fantastic to finally win," said Thelen, soaking wet after Roman Paszke's Polish team on Bonduelle threw him in the water as a celebration of the victory.

After some beautiful days in Oslo the rain and cold came creeping in over the capital this Sunday. It was raining and blowing a light breeze over the course in the inner harbour, and the wind was very unstable. But even with little wind there was no lack of drama around the buoys. In the second race the Finnish boat and Stena Sovcomflot crashed in to each other just a few metres from the finish line.

"They had the whole fjord to avoid a collison. If they had done the same in a Olympic class they would have taken a beating back on shore," said Johanson.

Luckily it didn’t come to a fist fight, but a session in the protest room where Johanson came out with a big grin. Stena Sovcolmflot got disqualified and TietoEnator kept their victory.

Team Academy with Knut Frostad came second, Stena Sovcomflot with Bruno Peyron third, the Swedish HiQ took fourth, Nokia fifth and Bonduelle sixth.

The next race in the Nokia Oops Cup is the Sjaelland Rundt next Friday.

Results Oslo Speed Race
1) TietoEnator, Finland, Kenneth Thellen, 5 points
2) Academy, Norway, Knut Frostad, 6
3) Stena Sovcomflot, Russie/Sweden, Bruno Peyron, 7
4) Nokia, Sweden, Magnus Olsson, 13
5) HiQ, Sweden, Klas Nylöf, 14
6) Bonduelle, Poland, Roman Paszke, 15

Nokia Oops Cup after 5 of 11 races:
1) Stena Sovcomflot 8 points
2) Academy 11
3) Nokia 15
4) HiQ 16
5) TietoEnator 19
6) Bonduelle 24.