11.04.2009
http://media.pumaoceanracing.com
PUMA says farewell Rio, we’re homeward bound
April 11, 2009 – PUMA started leg six of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at 1500 local today, after saying an emotional
farewell to the city of Rio. Waved off the dock by family, friends,
supporters and samba dancers, the PUMA Ocean Racing team raced a short
course round Guanabara Bay in light winds before passing beneath Sugar
Loaf Mountain. Rounding a mark off Copacabana Beach under the gaze of
Christ the Redeemer, Rio’s most famous landmark, the fleet headed east out
into open water. Leg six takes the Volvo Ocean Race from Brazil 4,900
nautical miles northwards up to Boston, USA, the unofficial home of PUMA
Ocean Racing. Currently lying in second place overall, PUMA is on the hunt
for valuable points at this halfway stage in the race.
The leg ahead is expected to take around 16 days, during which the fleet
will cross the equator for the fourth and final time in the 37,000 mile
round-the-world race. A tricky first few days of racing are expected as
the fleet battles with strong currents off the coast of Brazil, before
meeting the trade winds of the South Atlantic. The hot weather of the
doldrums will shortly be followed by faster sailing in the northern
hemisphere, as the boats reach the cooler climes of springtime in the
North Atlantic. After avoiding a whale conservation area off the coast of
Massachusetts, the fleet will head in to Boston, to what is set to be a
huge PUMA welcome.
Skipper Ken Read (USA) commented: “We’ve loved our time here in Rio. We’ve
met loads of great people and loved the hospitality we’ve been shown here.
The PUMA team have been staying down on the beach in Copacabana, and it’s
great to have been able to work out on the beach in the mornings, just
looking around thinking ‘it doesn’t really get much more beautiful than
this’. Thank you Rio.”
“It’s good to be going home to Boston. Our PUMA Ocean Racing team
programme was announced in Boston, our boat il mostro was christened in
Boston, and PUMA has a head office in Boston, so it’s like home to us.
Family, friends, supporters, sponsors are all going to be waiting there on
the dock, ready to see their boys, and their boat. It’s going to be really
good, I’m really looking forward to it. With it however comes the added
pressure of everybody saying ‘remember you’ve gotta win this, this is the
one you have to win’. It’s a pressure I think I’ve felt within the team
this week, and we’re trying to downplay it. It’s just another leg, we have
to treat it like another leg. We have to try to stay consistent, and keep
doing what we’re doing. It’s really good to be going home and when we get
there, we’ll have done a complete circumnavigation of the globe, as we
sailed from the States to Alicante for the start of the race last
October.”
“Telefonica Blue and Ericsson 4 are our two closest rivals, for sure you
always have your eye out on those two guys, and Ericsson 3 has shown they
have some speed to burn. Of course the two boats jumping back into the
race Telefonica Black and Delta Lloyd have a new inventory of sails and
have been practising for three weeks as they didn’t do the last leg. This
will be an interesting leg. There will definitely be a few roadblocks out
there weather wise, current wise, the Gulf Stream, the Brazilian current,
a couple of big highs; there are plenty of roadblocks. As always, no doubt
we’ll all be within about ten feet of each other, the whole way up,
driving each other nuts!!”
The Volvo Ocean Race is made up of ten legs, finishing in June 2009 in St.
Petersburg, Russia. By joining the race, 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
Tel: +55 21 8273 7840 or +55 21 8197 4509 in Rio
bridgid.murphy@puma.com or kate.fairclough@puma.com
PUMA Ocean Racing Crew List, Leg Six, Rio de Janeiro – Boston
Ken Read (USA) Skipper
Andrew Cape (AUS) Navigator
Rick Deppe (GBR) Media Crew Member
Sidney Gavignet (FRA) Watch Captain
Robert Greenhalgh (GBR) Watch Captain
Rob Salthouse (NZL) Trimmer/Driver
Justin Ferris (NZL) Trimmer/Driver
Erle Williams (NZL) Trimmer/Driver
Shannon Falcone (ANT) Trimmer/Pit
Casey Smith (AUS) Bowman
Michael Müller (GER) Bowman
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