Telefonica Blue skipper Bouwe Bekking. Image copyright Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race.
by Javier Sobrino
On Saturday 9 May Bouwe Bekking and TELEFONICA BLUE shone brightly, dominating both of the Volvo Ocean Race Boston stopover in-port races to secure first place. This now puts their in-port race record at three wins out of five, and sees Bekking and his crew in strong second position on the overall leaderboard on 68.5 points, a full 3 points ahead of their currently 3rd place rivals, PUMA Ocean Racing.
In spite of a logistical hiccup that saw the Spanish team's container "lost" on its way to Boston, TELEFONICA BLUE's inshore sails arrived at 05.00 the day before the race, a huge relief for the entire crew.
Bouwe described the conditions in Boston as "very tricky and shifty. It is hard to read the breeze as the wind is high up and it is completely different compared to the direction just on the surface. Sometimes there is nearly 50 degrees difference but since there is not much wind on the water it is super flat, and that is something our boat seems to like."
TELEFONICA BLUE has been in Boston since 27 April, the day they arrived in a disappointing 3rd place at the end of Leg 6. But Bouwe and his crew bounced back quickly, opening the gap between them and their closest rivals in 3rd, while inching closer to 1st overall (currently Ericsson 4 with 81 points) thanks to their double in-port win here in Boston.
"Some people say that we are lucky in the in-port races, but I think it all comes down to risk management," said Bouwe, on the day of their win in Boston. "On these boats gambling or taking chances is not a very good option. We had another very solid day, leading at each mark rounding, so we must have done something right."
So what is his secret to winning the in-port races? Bouwe says simply, "We are not slow and we try to make fewer mistakes than the others. Also I know when we have to sail conservatively or when it is time to attack." Of course this experienced 'round the world sailor could not leave it at that and Bouwe adds with a big smile, "it is also a great credit to the crew who kept their heads cool and did good manoeuvres and, of course, a big thanks to the shore crew, who have once again given us a winning boat!"
The rest of the week leading up to the Leg 7 start to Galway this Saturday will include more sailing, sail testing, last minute checking and meetings for TELEFONICA BLUE. Of Boston, Bouwe says he hopes that the city will be staying in the race as a stopover location. Boats are practically within touching distance for race village visitors who have come in great numbers to be a part of this very special event. Race organizers were stunned when crowds of over 20,000 people lined the shores to watch the arrival of the boats for the finish of Leg 6. "Here they have good facilities and it is great for the public to be close to the boats," said Bouwe. "Not to mention that they are very nice people who all know that the race is in town."
With approximately only 15 days of racing left in this edition of the Volvo Ocean Race, TELEFONICA BLUE is getting ready to fight the battle until the end. There have been some changes onboard for this Leg; helmsman Simon Fisher (SiFi) will be staying ashore while Iker Martinez returns to join his offshore crew following his short break. "We have also brought in some new sails and made a change in bow trim hoping to improve our performance in heavy downwind conditions," said Bouwe. "In all the other conditions I am extremely happy with our performance. The start and the first few days will be light, so on paper we are holding good cards for scoring points, and of course the scoring gate is definitely a key point of the leg."
Leg 7 of the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race will begin this Saturday, 16 May, at 13.00 local time. Low-pressure systems and the Gulf Stream flow will play a strong role in the outcome of this next important offshore Leg. When asked about the challenges that lie ahead in the next Leg, or more specifically TELEFONICA BLUE's planned approach for the next Leg to Galway, Bouwe just says: "bring it on."
Bouwe Bekking
Volvo Ocean Race
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