17.06.2006
Game, set and match to ABN AMRO ONE
Today, ABN AMRO ONE crossed the line in last place. But who cares? With a total of 96 points, the team has won the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06 with two legs to spare, but it gives a certain piquancy that the team, which has been so dominant for so long, should come last in the last leg.
“It’s my Everest, my Olympic rings, my childhood dream,“ said Mike Sanderson (NZ), the skipper of the Dutch boat the ABN AMRO ONE team affectionately call Black Betty, when he won leg seven in Portsmouth. This was the point in the Volvo Ocean Race when the team knew they could not be beaten, but they still had two more legs to complete before they could finish the race in Goteborg.
As Mike Sanderson held aloft Fighting Finish, the striking Waterford Crystal winner’s trophy, presented to him and his team by HRH Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, surrounded by 120,000 people who had watched the final stage of leg nine unfold, the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06 concluded.
“Who cares about this leg”, said Sanderson on the dock. “We have won the Volvo Ocean Race and that is what it is all about. There is nothing wrong with today and the result, I promise you that. Gothenburg is the home of the Volvo Ocean Race and it is just great to be here. It was a bit slow getting in, but being here is just fantastic.
“This is the best dream for all of us. We wanted to win the Volvo Ocean Race, but unfortunately it was a bit of slow bus to get to the party. It is a dream come true for us at ABN AMRO and we are just over the moon with the result.
“I am not going to make any promises now on the dockside, but the Volvo Ocean Race is a wonderful race. We all love it and there is a good chance that we will all be back. “
And with that Mike Sanderson was ceremoniously thrown in to the water by the shore crew, swiftly followed by the rest of the team.
OVERALL LEADERBOARD (points not ratified)
TEAM
FINISH TIME
ELAPSED TIME LEG NINE
COMBINED ELAPSED TIME
TOTAL RACE POINTS
POSITION OVERALL
ABN AMROONE
17/06/06 16:26:57
002d 05h 26m 57s
097d 11h 15m 39s
96.0
1
The Black Pearl
17/06/06 13:44:06
002d 02h 44m 06s
106d 17h 44m 17s
73.0
2
Brasil 1
17/06/06 14:32:15
002d 03h 32m 15s
102d 12h 36m 33s
67.0
3
ABN AMROTWO
17/06/06 13:48:56
002d 02h 48m 56s
101d 15h 50m 40s
58.5
4
Ericsson
17/06/06 16:10:20
002d 05h 10m 20s
105d 22h 44m 48s
55.0
5
movistar
-
-
-
48
6
Brunel
17/06/06 15:26:48
002d 04h 26m 48s
115d 16h 55m 37s
15.5
7
LEG NINE FINISH POSITIONS (points not ratified)
Leg Standing
Yacht Name
Leg Points
Finish Time
Elapsed Time
Total Elapsed Time
Race Points
Race Standings
1
The Black Pearl
7.0
17/06/06 13:44:06
002d 02h 44m 06s
106d 17h 44m 17s
73.0
2
2
ABN AMROTWO
6.0
17/06/06 13:48:56
002d 02h 48m 56s
101d 15h 50m 40s
58.5
4
3
Brasil 1
5.0
17/06/06 14:32:15
002d 03h 32m 15s
102d 12h 36m 33s
67.0
3
4
Brunel
4.0
17/06/06 15:26:48
002d 04h 26m 48s
115d 16h 55m 37s
15.5
7
5
Ericsson
3.0
17/06/06 16:10:20
002d 05h 10m 20s
105d 22h 44m 48s
55.0
5
6
ABN AMROONE
2.0
17/06/06 16:26:57
002d 05h 26m 57s
097d 11h 15m 39s
96.0
1
Lizzie GreenPress Officer at race headquarters:
Tel: +44 1489 554 832, Mob: +44 7801 185 320
Email: lizzie.green@volvooceanrace.org mailto:lizzie.green@volvooceanrace.org
Sophie Luther Press Assistant at race headquarters
Mob: +44 7956 285548 email: sophie.luther@volvooceanrace.org
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