PUMA during the City Sprint from Sandhamn, the finish line of leg 9, to the city of Stockholm. Image copyright Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race.
by Kate Fairclough
The PUMA Ocean Racing team could tomorrow seal their final position in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 with one leg of the race to go. Competing in the final In Port race of the Volvo Ocean Race in Stockholm, Sweden, PUMA need to either beat or finish one position behind Spanish entry Telefonica Blue to confirm second place overall in the 37,000 mile round the world race. If the PUMA team are unable to close the competition in this In Port race, second and third place overall in the event will be decided by the result of the final leg from Stockholm to St Petersburg, Russia, which begins on Thursday June 25. PUMA are already assured a podium finish in this edition of the race and are currently seven points ahead of Telefonica Blue.
Having won the Galway In Port race, won leg nine and finished runner up in legs seven and eight, the PUMA Ocean Racing team are on a roll. PUMA has finished on the podium in all but one of the six In Port race days to date. Two races will be held in the Kanholmsfjärden just starting at 13:00 local (11:00 GMT/07:00 EDT). Thousands of spectators are expected to watch the fleet strut their stuff round the short 2.7 mile course just outside the Stockholm archipelago.
Sailing onboard il mostro for the In Port race will be PUMA’s Ocean Racing team of Ken Read, Skipper; Andrew Cape, Navigator; Justin Ferris, Trimmer; Craig Satterthwaite, Trimmer; Erle Williams, Main; Rob Greenhalgh, Tactician; Rob Salthouse, Pit; Casey Smith, Bowman; Jerry Kirby, Mid Bow; Shannon Falcone, Trimmer/Pit, Michi Mueller, Grinder and Andrew Taylor, Grinder. Rick Deppe, PUMA’s Media Specialist will also be onboard providing a live video stream straight from the boat, which can be viewed at www.volvooceanrace.tv in real time on race day.
Skipper Ken Read (USA) commented: “At this point in the race, we have two shots at controlling our destiny; tomorrow’s In Port race and the final leg to Russia. We’re aiming to do that tomorrow. However, the forecast looks like another pretty light wind, weird day, the type of weather in which Telefonica Blue excels.”
“We said from day one that our aim in this race was to finish on the podium. We cannot finish any worse than third, so whatever happens we have succeeded. No matter what, we will always be able to look back at this Volvo Ocean Race and know it has been a success. Do I, and the entire team want to finish this race in second place? Of course. It would be a huge bonus. We have a battle on our hands, this is not over until it’s over. We have continued to improve in light air conditions and we know we can do it. We are as ready as we’ll ever be.”
Following this weekend’s In Port race, the PUMA Ocean Racing team will compete in the friendly Pro-Am race on Monday, which takes place just Stockholm. They will then spend their last three days in Stockholm preparing for the start of leg ten, the final leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 on Thursday June 25.
PUMA Ocean Racing
Volvo Ocean Race
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