Good result for movistar

Bouwe Bekking's team reach Baltimore five hours after ABN AMRO One

Bouwe Bekking (NED) and his team racing the Spanish entry movistar finished leg five of the Volvo Ocean Race today  in Baltimore, USA, at 00:14:15 GMT (1814 local time) in Baltimore. 

After 15 days, 8 hours, 4 minutes and 15 seconds at sea.  movistar finished in a solid second position, proving that their win on in leg three from Melbourne to Wellington was no fluke and they are, indeed, a team to be reckoned with, as always anticipated. 

“I am very, very happy with our result,” said Bouwe Bekking.  “Second is a good result for us, especially finishing in front of the Pirates. We only have to wait until ABN AMRO Two finishes to find out if we have moved up into second place overall. On the whole, I am extremely happy.

“In general the boat was very fast in light winds, medium in medium winds and fast again in the bigger breezes. Over the next few days we will do a normal recovery and fitness programme and thoroughly check over the boat.”

““It is way better to arrive like this than how we did in the previous legs and I am very, very happy. We knew ABN AMRO One was quick in the conditions we had so it was just a matter of making the right calculations as there were lots of clouds and thunderstorms. We had a good battle to the scoring gate and just managed to stay in front but literally thirty minutes later they managed to pass us.

“We are happy that we managed to put some pressure on ABN AMRO One and Andrew Cape did a great job with the technical aspects and navigation. After the problems we have had we always said that third place was okay and second would be even better, so I am really please with this result.”

movistar's Australian navigator Andrew Cape added his views: “It has been quite a challenging leg tactically although not that hard physically. The first night did not go too well for us and we found ourselves towards the back of the fleet. Fortunately the second night went a little better and the fleet gave us an opening when they stayed offshore and it made more sense to me to head inshore.

“We knew ABN AMRO One had a speed advantage in certain conditions so we just had to push hard and take any opportunities that came our way. It feels great to finish the leg in one piece and the boat and crew are in really good shape.”

The six points they score for this leg, added to the 3.5 bonus points they earned for passing the scoring gate at Fernando de Noronha in first position, brings their total to 40.5 points, half a point clear of ABN AMRO Two who, if they finish the leg in their current position, will be in third place overall.

Prior to the start of the Volvo Ocean Race from Vigo in Spain last November, movistar had always been considered a contender for the overall victory in the event, but, after leg one when the team was forced to retire with serious damage to the boat and a last place finish on leg four when the boat suddenly started to take on water as the team led the fleet towards Cape Horn, movistar has had some catching up to do.

Much of the stopover in Rio de Janeiro was spent doing essential work on the boat after she limped into port a week later than the leading boat, leaving the crew little time to tune the boat up for the in-port race, a week before the start of leg five.  Movistar bounced back to post a second place in the Rio inshore race and today’s finish position has been a result of determined effort on the leg by the crew who pushed the boat every inch of the way.