Oceanracing 2006 - VELUX 5 Oceans

Velux 5 Oceans - Alone-Round the World Yacht Race
www.velux5oceans.com - Übersicht

Monday 4 December, 2006
BERNARD STAMM TAKES victory HONOURS IN FREMANTLE
Defending champion finishes leg 1 with a commanding lead

Bernard Stamm, onboard his Open 60 CHEMINEES POUJOULAT, this evening crossed the finish line of leg 1 in the VELUX 5 OCEANS at 19:18 local time (10:18 UTC). After 43 days and 12,000 miles of racing, the defending champion arrived in Fremantle (Western Australia) to the cheers of friends, family and sailing fans. Stamm's victory establishes a commanding lead at the head of the Ultimate Solo Challenge and reflects a flawless display by the Swiss hero since the boats left Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain) on October 22.

Foto: www.w-w-i.com/velux_5_oceans

Speaking on the dockside, Stamm commented, "I am very pleased to be here, to have won this leg and to be back on dry land. It really was a very difficult leg; I had to go up the mast three times, once with strong winds over 25 knots. The start was hard, but the hardest moment was two days ago, when I suddenly got hit by a blast 50 to 60 knots. The South is always difficult, with strong winds and big waves, but I made it hard for myself by forgetting my thermal clothes, it was terrible."

"Now I'm going say hello to my team, eat something nice, drink some champagne and get some sleep. I am very happy to sail for my country and pleased there is such a big interest in this sport in Switzerland. It is one of the few reindexing sports where one cannot cheat. There is just the wind and the water and you must take them on. For Mike and Alex, I am of course happy that they are safe and well, but it is a shame for Alex to have lost his boat and a real shame that Mike will not be re-joining the course."

Stamm is an amazing sailor and a remarkable character. With incredible skill, courage and determination, he has overcome the challenges of this harsh ocean race. His empathic victory again proves the world class quality of the Brittany-based skipper and the enduring performance of CHEMINEES POUJOULAT, a boat he built himself and launched back in 2000.

The race has taken Stamm on an emotional rollercoaster since the start, battling through hurricane force winds, icy seas and mountainous waves, all the time indextaining a frantic pace and travelling at speeds up to 30 knots. He has survived on freeze dried rations, limited sleep, wearing a layer system of offshore clothing on a 60ft racing yacht with no bathroom facilities, single ring stove, desalinated water and no home comforts at all.

The first leg of the VELUX 5 OCEANS has delivered drama and action since day one. The fleet was blasted by enormous waves and violent winds of over 70 knots. The race has lived up to its name as the Ultimate Solo Challenge, as 4 boats were forced to turn back to land to make essential repairs following a torrential 24 hours of exceptional weather conditions. Stamm was one of only two boats that managed to sail through the storm and the horrendous conditions, building a formative lead over the race which he indextained throughout.

The 43 year old now holds a lead of 968 miles over second-placed Kojiro Shiraishi (JPN) on SPIRIT OF YUKOH, one of the largest leads in the history of round the world sailing. However, the dramas of ECOVER and HUGO BOSS have proved that nothing can be taken for granted in what is one of the world's toughest sporting challenges.

Commenting on the victory, Australian Race Director, and previous race winner, David Adams commented, "Bernard has sailed a phenomenal race and is simply an incredible skipper. He has twice climbed the mast to repair broken halyards, once at night and once in winds of over 50 knots. Despite a number of setbacks and sustained damage, he set a blistering pace that few could match."

On arrival into Fremantle he will enjoy a much deserved celebration, and belated birthday party, with some of Western Australia's finest hospitality combined with some traditional Swiss delicacies.

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