Rotterdam, The Netherlands – June 15, 2006
VolvoOceanRace 2005-06 Grand Finale
– For the final time the sailors in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06 waved goodbye to their families and friends from the Veerhaven, Rotterdam as they set out on the 470 nautical mile sprint leg to the finish port of Göteburg, Sweden.
The support for the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06 in Holland has been unbelievable and today did not disappoint with hundreds of spectators lining the dockside to wave the fleet on their way and many more taking to the water.
The boats put on a spectacular display as they departed, circling around outside the Veerhaven and then parading down the River Maas under indexsail, with ABN AMRO ONE as lead boat, to the cheers of the crowds.
All eyes were on Paul Cayard’s Pirates of the Caribbean and Torben Grael’s Brasil 1 at the start as it was expected that these boats would stay close together and match each other move for move. Cayard’s tactic was to concentrate on his own game and he timed the line to perfection to win the start.
Overall race winners ABN AMRO ONE, skippered by Mike Sanderson, were a little over zealous at the start and broke the line early. Quick torealise, ‘Black Betty’ was hastily turned around to re-cross the start line.
There was a difference of opinion between the six navigators and as Brasil 1, ABN AMRO TWO (Sebastien Josse) and ABN AMRO ONE headed for the shore, The Pirates, Brunel (Matthew Humphries) and Ericsson (Neal McDonald) all made the decision to head out to sea.
The gamble to split from the fleet and head to shore has initially paid off for Brasil 1 and as they head off on their way to Göteborg they have a small lead over ABN AMRO ONE. Brunel, who set off this morning with just nine crew members after Graeme Taylor (AUS) was forced to stay onshore due to illness, is currently lying in third place overall, with ABN AMRO TWO fourth.
Pirates of the Caribbean took the surprising decision to split from Brasil 1 and are currently in fifth place with Ericsson, who is at present heading in the opposite direction of the fleet in a make or break move, trailing in sixth position overall.
However with 479 nautical miles reindexing of the final leg, there is still a lot to play for as the boats have to navigate some tricky waters and make crucial tactical decisions that could win or lose them the race.
At present the boats are expected to arrive into Göteborg, Sweden, on the afternoon of Saturday 17 June.
For further information log onto www.volvooceanrace.org http://www.volvooceanrace.org/.
Current Leaderboard
[position/team name/skipper/race points to date]
1st ABN AMRO ONE, Mike Sanderson (NZL) 94.0 pts
2nd Pirates of the Caribbean, Paul Cayard (USA) 66.0 pts
3rd Brasil 1, Torben Grael (BRA) 62.0 pts
4th ABN AMRO TWO, Sebastien Josse (FRA) 52.5 pts
5th Ericsson Racing Team, Neal McDonald (GBR) 52.0 pts
6th movistar, Bouwe Bekking (NED) 48.0 pts
7th Brunel, Grant Wharington (AUS)/Matt Humphries (GBR) 11.5 pts
For media enquiries please contact:
Sacha Oswald, Press Officer in Rotterdam
t. +31 618 092 201 e. sacha.oswald@volvooceanrace.org mailto:sacha.oswald@volvooceanrace.org
Sophie Luther, Press Assistant in Rotterdam
t. + 31 618 076 129
e. sophie.luther@volvooceanrace.org mailto:sophie.luther@volvooceanrace.org
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