Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, March 4th, 2002
Jon Gunderson joins Team SEB
Jon Gunderson, a 27-year old from Auckland, New Zealand will join Gurra
Krantz and his team on Sweden’s SEB for the Volvo Ocean Race.
Gunderson, known more usually as ‘Gundy’, was formerly a crewmember
onboard the Australian entry, Team News Corp, with whom he sailed the
first three legs of the Volvo Ocean Race. ‘Gundy’ has a vast offshore
racing experience, and amongst other wins, he has been a crewmember
onboard the winning boat in two Sydney to Hobart Races, in 1999 and in
2000.
"It's great being back in the race again, especially with Team SEB since I
know most of SEB's crew " says Jon Gunderson who made it clear that he
didn’t intend to miss out on racing in the Volvo Ocean Race. “It has
always been my goal to do the race and to be back is fantastic.” Gundy has
been spotted for the past couple of days sporting his new Team SEB gear
and wearing an ear-to-ear smile.
Gunderson, who arrived in Rio de Janeiro last week, explained, “I’m very
thankful to Gurra for giving me a chance to come and join SEB, I’m very
happy to be a member of the team.” Gundy’s desire to compete in the race
was strong. “Obviously I’ve enjoyed every second of the race so far, so
when it became clear I wasn’t sailing with News Corp I started looking
elsewhere. I wanted to finish the Volvo. I wasn’t considering doing
anything else unless there was no opportunity left.”
This brings SEB’s tally of New Zealanders onboard to six, as ‘Gundy’ is
stepping onboard to replace the French sailor Pascal Biddeford, who was
hired for leg four.
Meanwhile, the rest of the crew, together with the shore team, have been
working round the clock to repair the damage done to SEB after her
dismasting in the Southern Ocean, during leg four of the Volvo Ocean Race
from Auckland to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
After a lengthy journey, the new carbon fibre mast arrived in Rio on
Saturday 23rd February, having been sent from Gothenburg in Sweden. The
boat arrived the boat arrived by freighter from Chile the day after.
Since then, the boat builders, shore team and crew have worked tirelessly,
repairing the damage, which occurred to the boat and hull when the mast
was lost overboard. The new mast has now been stepped and tuned and the
crew will now spend a few days out on the water fine-tuning the new rig
and sails before they set off on the 4,450 nautical mile leg to Miami,
where they will be certainly looking for a podium finish.
"It feels good having a whole boat and mast again and we are longing for
the start now” says skipper Gurra Krantz, adding, “it has been a major
operation getting the boat and the new mast to Rio. The whole Team SEB has
done a tremendous job to make the boat of schedule."
The fifth leg of this nine-stage event will start from Rio de Janeiro on
Saturday March 9th, at 16:30 GMT (13.30 local time). The fleet is
estimated to arrive in Miami on March 27th.
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