Delta Lloyd, skippered by Roberto Bermudez (ESP) finish fifth on leg 7 from Boston to Galway, crossing the line at 03:39:58 GMT 24/05/09. Image copyright Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race.
by Sophie Luther
The crew of Delta Lloyd just gets better and better. Although finishing in fifth place this morning in Galway at 0339 GMT, the team had been up in the lead during this leg and was in contention for a podium finish right up until the last moment.
As the crew gelled, their performance has improved and they scored a third place each in the in-port race series in Rio de Janeiro and Boston as well as being third at the scoring gate on leg six.
On stepping ashore, Spanish skipper, Roberto Bermúdez said, “We're sailing against really good teams and really good people. We are trying to not make mistakes and to sail within our limits and that's what we did here. And you enjoy the race so much more when you don't 'lose' the fleet.
Delta Lloyd, skippered by Roberto Bermudez (ESP) (pictured) finish fifth on leg 7 from Boston to Galway, crossing the line at 03:39:58 GMT 24/05/09. Image copyright Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race.
“You always think about the real big downwind sailing in the Southern Ocean when you think about this race, but these last couple of days were maybe the best downwind in the race. It was really good.
“It's a happy team and we've enjoyed it a lot. Everybody sailed very well and we are really starting to feel like a close group.”
As the winner of the 2005-06 Volvo, Delta Lloyd already has one circumnavigation under her keel and the team’s first priority was to get to Galway in one piece, however, when the rest of the fleet put the throttle down, the crew of Delta Lloyd did the same.
Delta Lloyd, skippered by Roberto Bermudez (ESP) finish fifth on leg 7 from Boston to Galway, crossing the line at 03:39:58 GMT 24/05/09. Image copyright Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race.
The fight for fifth place was hard fought. Telefónica Black was also leader of the pack in the first third of the leg, but once the fleet cleared the ice exclusion zone and turned downwind, Telefónica Black did not flourish. They were, according to navigator Roger Nilson, “demolished” and finished at 0358 GMT, just 19 minutes behind Delta Lloyd.
Telefonica Black, skippered by Fernando Echavarri (ESP) finish sixth on leg 7 from Boston to Galway, crossing the line at 03:58:02 GMT 24/05/09. Image copyright Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race.
Fellow Spaniard and skipper of Telefónica Black, Fernando Echávarri, commented, “We performed quite well. In the first half we were very comfortable with the boat and we did well. But we knew it was going to be really hard downwind.
“At the end we were really close to passing Delta Lloyd, but we could not. It was very exciting racing, very close. It is more interesting when you can see the other boats.”
Ericsson 3, skippered by Magnus Olsson (SWE) finish seventh on leg 7 from Boston to Galway, crossing the line at 05:58:59 GMT 24/05/09. Image copyright Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race.
For Ericsson 3, who finished two hours later in seventh position at 0558 GMT today, leg seven could have been a leg the crew would rather forget, but in his usual irrepressible way, skipper, Magnus Olsson was pragmatic.
“We are a little disappointed with the result, but that’s life. We think we’ve sailed the best ever, but this time it wasn’t enough. When we sail as well, we are normally fighting for podium positions, it was frustrating when we didn’t go so well and in the end, we took some chances. In the short term, our egos have taken a beating. And now we know how hard it is to really be up there.”
Ericsson 3, skippered by Magnus Olsson (SWE) finish seventh on leg 7 from Boston to Galway, crossing the line at 05:58:59 GMT 24/05/09. Image copyright Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race.
With Volvo fleet safely arrived in Galway, there is a full two weeks for the crews to enjoy the legendary Irish hospitality before the in-port race next Saturday 30 May and the start of leg eight the following Saturday 6 June.
Leg Six Finishing Order Galway
1. Ericsson 4: 8 points
2. PUMA: 7 points
3. Green Dragon: 6 points
4. Telefónica Blue: 5 points
5. Delta Lloyd: 4 points
6. Telefónica Black: 3 points
7. Ericsson 3: 2 points
Overall Leaderboard (Provisional)
1. Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA) 92.0 points (FINISHED)
2. Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED) 77.5 points (FINISHED)
3. PUMA (Ken Read/USA) 76.0 points (FINISHED)
4. Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE) 60.0 points (FINISHED)
5. Green Dragon (Ian Walker/GBR) 52.0 points (FINISHED)
6. Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri/ESP) 36.0 points (FINISHED)
7. Delta Lloyd (Roberto Bermúdez/ESP) 29.5 points (FINISHED)
8. Team Russia 10.5 points (DNS)
Scoring Gate Order
1. Telefónica Blue
2. PUMA
3. Ericsson 4
4. Ericsson 3
5. Telefónica Black
6. Delta Lloyd
7. Green Dragon
Volvo Ocean Race
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