Back in action

Despite only eight days passing the Volvo Ocean Race boats ready for tomorrow's In Port Race in Rio

Barely eight days have passed since Ericsson 3 won the fifth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. Now, the teams are readying them for the next contest of the globe-girdling race - the Rio de Janiero In-Port Race scheduled for tomorrow. The boats are back in the water and will compete in today's practice race as a warm-up prior to tomorrow's two races, prior to the In-Port race proper on Guanabara Bay, just off the Marina da Gloria. Two races are scheduled beginning at 13:00 local time (16:00 GMT), and they will be scored as a series. The winner on the day will be awarded four scoring points towards the overall Volvo Ocean Race leaderboard.

Since arriving in Rio dor the sailing teams there has been some necessary time off after 40 days at sea on the Volvo Ocean Race's longest ever leg.

"We've had some time to rest because we haven't been allowed down to the marina," says Ericsson 3 skipper Magnus Olsson. "We could've taken a few more days off, but we really can't complain. It's even worse for our competition, which was out there longer."

For overall race leader Ericsson 4, who followed their teammates into Rio to claim second place on leg 5, the crewmembers scattered to various parts of the world and only returned to Rio last night.

"We had a few guys go home, back to the UK and others to New Zealand. Those that stayed had a few relaxing days," said Stu Bannatyne, watch captain and In-Port Race tactician for Ericsson 4. "It wasn't a huge amount of time off, but the 40 days offshore weren't overly taxing. We arrived here in good shape, no one lost significant weight. So we didn't need a whole lot of recovery time to get going again."

During the long leg that took them diagonally across the Pacific Ocean and round Cape Horn before returning one third of the way up the Atlantic, the crew lost weight. Team physiotherapist Joel Rewa-Morgan reported an average loss of two kilos.

"We didn't do too badly," said Rewa-Morgan, who oversees the conditioning program. "One of the Nordic crew lost 13 pounds (six kilos), but most of that was in Taiwan. Most of the guys lost the same average of about four pounds (two kilos). Some of the guys didn't lose anything."

Ericsson 4 goes into the In-Port Race with the same crew that has been aboard for all five offshore legs. They're joined by America's Cup Class grinders Brian "Puck" MacInnes and Joe Spooner, who both missed the Qingdao In-Port Race due to conflicting commitments.

"Puck and Joe are here already," said Bannatyne. "They missed China, but are keen to get back into it. It's nice to have that AC grinder horsepower to help us out."

Ericsson 3 has some slight crew changes. Navigator Aksel Magdahl has been given a break and will miss the In-Port Race before returning for the offshore leg to Boston.

Richard Mason, the watch captain who stepped down for Leg 5 due to an injury, will fill Magdahl's spot, although not his position. That will be assumed by Magnus Wøxen, who sailed Leg 5. Ericsson 3's two In-Port crewmembers, tactician Rasmus Køstner and mainsail grinder Jann Neergaard, also return for the weekend.

The In-Port races have been an Achilles heel for Ericsson 3, which has performed in the middle of the pack. Olsson is determined to reverse that trend. "We're not far from doing well, but the competition is very tough," Olsson said. "A slight hesitation or going the wrong way means you won't perform well because the competition is so tough."

A light to moderate sea breeze is forecast for Saturday afternoon, with conditions clearing, following what has been an overcast and wet week in Rio.

Ericsson 4 skipper Torben Grael has plenty of experience on Guanabara Bay. The Brazilian Olympic medallist says it will be a tricky place to sail and he hopes to use his local knowledge to his advantage.

“It’s not an easy place to sail normally,” he said at a press conference on Friday. “It’s not a place with the same pattern every day. It looks like we’re going to have a sea breeze which is the best we can have for the race here. The rain is going to clear up and we’ll have perfect conditions for the race.”

That’s good news as Ericsson 4 is scheduled to have a very special guest on board: Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland. She has been visiting the Volvo Ocean Race Village in Rio, and will sail with Grael and his team, for the I Port.
Ken Read, skipper of il mostro, is the closest challenger to Ericsson 4. He said they’ll be looking to sail their own race, while acknowledging Torben is surely going to be feeling at home on the water here. “We have to go and try to teach the master his own game. It’s not easy sailing against somebody who’s sailed so much in this area. We’ll have one eye on them and one eye on trying to win a boat race.”

This In-Port Race also sees the Volvo Ocean Race fleet back to nearly full strength with the return of Telefónica Black and Team Delta Lloyd, both of whom arrived in Rio by ship, missing the leg from Qingdao after suffering damage during Leg 4 of the race. Both teams are eager to make up for lost time
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“The ‘new’ Delta Lloyd has a new bow, a new mast, and a few new good sails too. We’ve spent two weeks testing everything and I think we’re ready for the in port and next leg,” said skipper Roberto Bermudez. The team has also added three new crew members, all with Volvo Ocean Race experience.

Similarly, Telefónica Black expects a boost for the in-port race from the addition of double Olympic Gold Medallist Luis Doreste, who will sail as tactician.

“It was disappointing to miss the leg, but now we are coming back,” said skipper Fernando Echavarri. “I think the boat is healthy now and we are trying – as always – will do our best.”

Leaderboard
1. Ericsson 4, 63.5 points
2. Puma, 53
3. Telefónica Blue, 50.5
4. Ericsson 3, 43.5
5. Green Dragon, 39.5
6. Telefónica Black, 21
7. Delta Lloyd, 12
8. Team Russia, 10.5

Crew lists:

DELTA LLOYD
1. Roberto Bermúdez de Castro ESP, skipper
2. Wouter Verbraak NED, navigator
3. Andre Fonseca BRA, tactician
4. Sander Pluijm NED, media
5. Stu Wilson NZL
6. Nick Bice AUS
7. Ben Costello NZL
8. Ed van Lierde NED
9. David Pella ESP
10. Gerd-Jan Poortman NED
11. Morgan White AUS
12. Marcelo Ferreira BRA
13. Dave Miller NZL

ERICSSON 4
1. Torben Grael BRA, skipper
2. Jules Salter UK, navigator
3. Guy Salter UK, media
4. Brad Jackson NZ
5. Stu Bannatyne NZ
6. Horacio Carabelli BRA
7. Tony Mutter NZ
8. Joca Signorini BRA
9. Ryan Godfrey AUS
10. Phil Jameson NZ
11. Dave Endean NZ
12. Joe Spooner NZ
13. Brian McInnes CAN

ERICSSON 3
1. Magnus Olsson SWE, skipper
2. Magnus Woxén SWE, navigator
3. Rasmus Kostner DEN, tactician
4. Gustav Morin SWE, media
5. Arve Roaas NOR
6. Richard Mason SWE
7. Thomas Johanson FIN
8. Eivind Melleby NOR
9. Martin Strömberg SWE
10. Anders Dahlsjö SWE
11. Jens Dolmer DEN
12. Martin Krite SWE
13. Jann Neergaard DEN

GREEN DRAGON
1. Ian Walker GBR, skipper
2. Ian Moore IRL, navigator
3. Guo Chuan CHN, media
4. Neal McDonald GBR
5. Damian Foxall IRL
6. Christopher Main NZL
7. Anthony Merrington AUS
8. Tom Braidwood AUS
9. Andrew McLean AUS
10. James Carroll IRL
11. Freddie Shanks GBR
12. Johnny Mordaunt IRL
13. Julien Cressant FRA

PUMA OCEAN RACING
1. Ken Read USA, skipper
2. Andrew Cape AUS, navigator
3. Rick Deppe GBR, media
4. Sidney Gavignet FRA
5. Rob Greenhalgh GBR
6. Rob Salthouse NZL
7. Justin Ferris NZL
8. Casey Smith AUS
9. Michael Muller GER
10. Kimo Worthington USA
11. Joe Fanelli USA
12. Andrew Taylor NZL
13. Shannon Falcone ANT

TELEFÓNICA BLUE
1. Iker Martinez ESP, skipper
2. Bouwe Bekking NED, tactician
3. Simon Fisher GBR, navigator
4. Gabriele Olivo ITA, media
5. Jonathan Swain RSA
6. Laurent Pages FRA
7. Jordi Calafat ESP
8. Xabier Fernandez ESP
9. Pablo Arrarte ESP
10. Daryl Wislang NZL
11. Pepe Ribes ESP
12. Federico Giovanelli ITA
13. Carlo Castellano ITA

TELEFÓNICA BLACK
1. Fernando Echávarri ESP, skipper
2. Luis Doreste ESP, tactician
3. Pedro Campos ESP, helmsman
4. Roger Nilson SWE, media
5. Gonzalo Araujo ARG
6. Jaime Arbones ESP
7. Pablo Iglesias ESP
8. Javier de la Plaza ESP
9. Maciel Cicchetti ARG
10. Antonio Cuervas-Mons ESP
11. Michael Pammenter RSA
12. Iñigo Losada ESP
13. Anton Paz ESP