Boatbuilders working on Ericsson 3 in Taiwan, showing the hole cut out of the bow. Image copyright Gustav Morin/Ericsson Racing Team.
by Victoria Low
As Ericsson 3 readies to hit the water in Taiwan and complete Leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race, a pair of veterans have been added for Leg 5 to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Magnus Woxen (37, Stockholm, Sweden) and Arve Roaas (47, Tønsberg, Norway) join the crew as helmsmen and trimmers.
Woxen is no stranger to the Volvo Ocean Race having competed in the last three races, most recently with Ericsson Racing Team in 2005-'06.
"I know all the crew, although I haven't sailed before with everyone," said Woxen. "I'm confident that we'll be a good team. It's a really good group of people, so I don't think it will be a problem to join the team mid-race."
Roaas has sailed a variety of designs and completed the 2001-'02 circumnavigation aboard Djuice Dragons.
"The Volvo Open 70 is a serious sailing device - it has all my respect. I'm really looking forward to racing the boat, passing Cape Horn and getting to Rio," said Roaas.
"Both Magnus and Arve have done the race before and have been in the Southern Ocean," said skipper Magnus Olsson (60, Stockholm), who'll be making his sixth rounding of legendary Cape Horn. "They are good guys and know what to expect."
The two new members were necessitated due to changes in the Nordic crew. Olsson, a watch captain, last week was named skipper of Ericsson 3.
His fellow watch captain, Richard Mason (34, Stockholm), will sit out Leg 5 due to a back injury, a prolapsed disc, which has been further aggravated the past few legs. The pain was so severe on Leg 4 that Mason slept on a beanbag on the cabin sole instead of his bunk.
"If I were to continue and do Leg 5, I could be a potential liability," Mason said. "To sail these boats you have to be 110 percent, and to possibly put the crew and boat in a bad position is very selfish.
"From a personal aspect it's devastating as we have come a long way as a crew. It has been very successful, and both Magnus (Olsson) and I feel a lot of ownership," Mason continued. "My intention is to try and get back as soon as possible, once I have the all clear from the surgeon."
Thomas Johanson (39, Helsinki, Finland), a helmsman, will take on the role of Watch Captain alongside Olsson. Also rejoining the crew is Eivind Melleby (36, Oslo, Norway), who sat out Leg 4 due to personal commitments.
Preparing Ericsson 3 in Hualien, Taiwan. Image copyright Gustav Morin/Ericsson Racing Team.
In Taiwan, a team of crew and boat builders is working around the clock to get the boat ready to complete Leg 4 to Qingdao.
The boatbuilding team is under added pressure to complete its work quickly because Leg 5 of the race is scheduled to begin Saturday. It's unlikely the Nordic crew will reach Qingdao in time for the start, but the sailors want to minimize their initial deficit to the fleet.
In Qingdao the team has prepared for next leg, readying sails, food, spare gear and equipment for Leg 5. After completing Leg 4 the crew plans to do a touch-and-go; hitting the dock to load the necessary items in the least amount of time possible, and then giving chase to the fleet that will be bound for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Ericsson Racing Team
Volvo Ocean Race
No comments:
Post a Comment