Peyron-Ravussin invincible

Team Stena Sovcomfort win in St Petersburg

Team Stena Sovcomfort has been nearly unbeatable in this year’s Nokia Oops Cup. Thursday they won the last regatta in the series by finishing first in the race between Sopot, Poland to St. Petersburg in Russia. Team Academy, which won last year, finished 50 minutes after the Russian-Swedish boat.

The multihull legend Bruno Peyron, co-skipper and boat owner Steve Ravussin and Roger Nilson, the navigator, consistently were way ahead of the other five competitors during Nokia Oops Cup 2005. In the St. Petersburg offshore race they had to endure light winds and high temperatures, but they still finished first in to the Russian city.

"It was a light wind race, but we finished much earlier than thought. We won this race and the Nokia Oops cup on experience, better technique and just the right amount of luck," says Roger Nilson.

Academy, skippered by Norwegian Knut Frostad came second in the last race, and also on the overall standing. HiQ, the Swedish boat with Klabbe Nylof at the helm that took third, but had to retire from the St. Petersburg Offshore Race due to the rudder damage they sustained in Sopot City Race. Bonduelle also pulled out off the offshore race.

The Nokia Oops Cup started in Helsinki on 21 May and since then the six former ORMA 60ft trimarans and their crew have covered over 35,00 nautical miles and been to all the major cities and competed inn all the major races in Nordic and Baltic waters.

"We are very pleased because both the competition and the public interest for Nokia Oops Cup have been even greater this year. It is very satisfying that more and more people get a taste for this sport," says Richard Brisius of Atlant Ocean Racing, the company behind Nokia Oops Cup.

Results: St.Petersburg Offshore Race:
1) Stena Sovcomflot, Sweden/Russia, Bruno Peyron, 0,5 points
2) Academy, Norway, Knut Frostad, 1 points
3) TietoEnator, Finland, Thomas Johanson, 1,5 points
4) Nokia, Sweden, Magnus Olsson, 2 points
6) Bonduelle, Poland, Gotek Zibi, 3,5 points
6) HiQ, Sweden, Klas Nylöf, 3,5 points

Nokia Oops Cup after 11 of 11 races, final results:
1) Stena Sovcomflot 15,5 points
2) Academy 24 points
3) HiQ 32 points
4) TietoEnator 42 points
5) Nokia 44,5 points
6) Bonduelle 55 points.