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Fotogalerie Leg 10
25.06.2009
http://media.pumaoceanracing.com
PUMA lead the fleet out of Stockholm in Volvo Ocean Race finale
PUMA cannot be beaten to second place overall
June 25, 2009 – PUMA today led the seven boat Volvo Ocean Race fleet out
of Sweden at the start of leg ten from Stockholm, Sweden to St Petersburg,
Russia; the final stage of the round the world race. All the PUMA Ocean
Racing team must do to confirm second place overall in the Volvo Ocean
Race 2008-09 is finish this leg, in any position. Storming round a short
course just outside the Stockholm archipelago in 15 knots of wind, the
PUMA team led the fleet from the start, rounding two buoys amongst a huge
spectator fleet before heading out into the Baltic Sea en route to St
Petersburg, 400 miles to the east.
Currently holding a 6.5 point lead over third placed team Telefonica Blue,
with a maximum of eight points on offer in this leg, no matter which
position the PUMA Ocean Racing team finish in this final leg, it is not
mathematically possible for any team in the seven boat fleet to finish
ahead of PUMA in the overall standings. The PUMA team have nothing to lose
and are gunning for another podium finish into St Petersburg after their
recent strong score line. PUMA are on a roll, having won their first
offshore leg into Stockholm ten days ago as well as excelling in the
recent In Port races.
Skipper Ken Read (USA) commented on the dock early this morning: “We just
have to finish this leg to get second overall. This leg, the pressure is
off. We just have to get points for finishing so that we get second
overall, and be really, really proud of that. If we come in to St
Petersburg in seventh place, we’ll get two points for finishing the leg.
If Telefonica Blue win the leg, they’ll get eight points. That’s a
differential of six points. But we already have a 6.5 point lead on them.
We get to go sailing, have fun, enjoy being with our buddies for the last
time and go try to win a boat race.”
“Of course we would like to win the leg. If we were playing checkers here
on the dock it would be a blood match. With all of these sailors on these
boats, it’s all about the competition. Whether second overall is at stake
or not anymore - which it isn’t, for all practical purposes - we still
wanna go win the leg. That’s what we do; it’s what we’re trained to do.”
“It’s shocking that this is the last leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. It seems
like only two weeks ago we were in Alicante, Spain, with this enormous
thing ahead of us, and it was really difficult to comprehend. Here we are
now at the end, almost 37,000 miles later. I can’t believe it, it’s
actually stunning. I don’t think it’ll hit us until well after the finish.
We’re excited to get this over with but it will be emotional. You start
looking around at your team mates thinking ‘this is the last time the team
will be together…’ As we’re constituted right now, this is the last send
off we will have as a group. Stockholm has been spectacular, the PUMA team
have had a great stopover here, but we’re ready to get this done.”
Leg ten is the final leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09. The race
finishes in St Petersburg on Saturday June 27, with the overall
prizegiving for the race at 12:00 local on Sunday June 28. PUMA has
entered a new premium category and is the only Sportlifestyle company to
participate in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09. For more information about
the race, team and the PUMA Sailing collections, please visit
www.pumaoceanracing.com
Alongside PUMA’s entry in the Volvo Ocean Race, PUMA has launched a full
range of marine clothing and apparel, from offshore sailing gear to
onshore lifestyle fashion. The PUMA Sailing Performance collection was
developed and tested by the PUMA Ocean Racing team itself, and is worn by
the team throughout the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09. The PUMA Sailing
Lifestyle collection takes inspiration from the sport.
For more information on Puma Ocean Racing, please contact:
Bridgid Murphy or Kate Fairclough - PUMA Ocean Racing
Tel: +1 978 996 5155 or +44 7827 277 517
bridgid.murphy@puma.com or kate.fairclough@puma.com
For images and footage free for editorial use please go to:
http://media.pumaoceanracing.com
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