movistar makes Spain

Triumphant arrival of Spanish Volvo crew

Right on schedule, the Volvo Open 70 movistar, the Spanish entry in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006 arrived Sunday afternoon in Galicia. The fastest monohull sailboat in the world sailed past the Cíes Islands before heading for the mouth of the Ría de Vigo at 16:00 and is now safely docked in the port of Vigo. The team is now recovering from their trying transatlantic journey, gradually recovering their physical and mental capacity to live comfortably on land after weeks at sea.

Initally flanked by dozens of boats wanting to welcome the team home, the procession gradually grew in numbers until an impressive fleet formed to escort the boat in its journey across the Ría to her final destination, the A Laxe Dock in Vigo. Hundreds of fans gathered to watch the arrival of movistar from the dock in a splendid summer afternoon.

“It was quite a show," said Iker Martínez upon his arrival. "The crew members who had been here before were moved by the number of boats which came to welcome us, but those who hadn’t before were dazzled by the beauty of the Ría. The fine weather made this a perfect moment”.

Upon her arrival in Vigo, Pilar Rojo, the Regional Minister for Sports, Pedro Campos, General Manager of the team, and Francisco de Bergia, CEO of Telefónica came on board the VO 70 by the Cíes Islands and sailed on movistar for the last 13 miles of the 5,000 mile-long journey that started on 17 May in Rio de Janeiro.

“It was very exciting to come on board and to be greeted by the crew," said Pedro Campos. "As soon as we raised the 500sqm spinnaker, the boat took off and many of the boats escorting us fell behind, but the mere sight of the boat sailing in front of the Cíes Islands with all sails raised was worth it”.

The most emotional moment of the day happened upon arriving in port, when the crew were able to see their families again. Later on, Alberto Núñez Feijo, First Vice-president of the Regional Government of Galicia, and Corina Porro, the mayor of Vigo, came on board to present the Galician flag to Pedro Campos, who in turn presented them with the Real Club Náutico de Sanxenxo flag, the pennant under which the boat will sail under in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006. When the Galician flag was raised, hundreds of balloons sporting the regional colors were released, a welcome salvo was fired, and the band of pipers started playing to welcome the crew.

Later on, the crew joined the authorities at a press conference at the main room of the Real Club Náutico de Vigo. Alberto Núñez Feijoo took the opportunity to thank the movistar crew for their presence in Vigo on behalf of all Galicians. Iker Martínez, Offshore Helmsman also wished to “express the gratitude of the team to all the people who came to cheer us upon our arrival. The journey was beautiful, but the entrance to the Ría de Vigo in such a splendid weather and with so many boats escorting us, was really moving to all”.

Bouwe Bekking, in turn, took the opportunity to recall that “getting here completes our first 15,000 miles of ocean trials. But now we will just take a small break for repairs and will take to the sea again in a few weeks to continue gathering experience. We suffered some shredded sails from Australia to Rio, but we also learned a lot and improved upo a number of elements on the boat. Proof of that is the fact that we did not break anything all the way from Rio to here”.

“Despite a few difficult moments due to the total absence of wind on the days before our arrival, the final stretch has just been wonderful," added Xabi Fernández, Jib Trimmer. "Today, when we were just 50 miles from Vigo, the wind started to pick up, and soon reached peaks up to 30 knots”.

Later in the evening, movistar set sail from Vigo for Sanxenxo, which will be her headquarters until the start of the Volvo Ocean Race from Vigo, on 12 November.