VOR: Team Delta Lloyd's Strategy Does Not Pay in Leg Nine

Delta Lloyd, skippered by Roberto Bermudez (ESP) finish sixth on leg 9 from Marstrand to Sandhamn, Stockholm. Image copyright Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race.

by Diana Bogaards

On Monday June 15 2009, Team Delta Lloyd's strategy did not pay. The Dutch entry left the fleet, but that daring move caused a loss in miles and the NED 1 lost contact with the rest of the VO70's. Delta Lloyd crossed the finish line of leg nine at 00:54 am in sixth position. Earlier that evening, Ericsson 3 and Puma put up an exciting show by match racing for the leg win, chased by an impressive spectator armada. Puma won the battle and Ericsson 4 the overall leader board of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09.

"We had to try something different to catch up on the competitors ahead of us", said skipper Roberto Bermúdez de Castro (ESP) on the dock. Dutch navigator Wouter Verbraak continues: " Our goal was to not constantly follow the fleet and finish mid fleet. Between Öland and Gotland there was a transition from a southerly to a northerly breeze and the two weather models predicted different scenario's. According to one, the wind would first come from the northeast and then shift to the northwest. The other model showed a northwesterly, but we got something in the middle. For a while, the breeze came from the northeast, but not long enough to get to the other side (Gotland)."

However, Delta Lloyd did try that and became the most easterly/right handed VO70. Verbraak: "But then the shift came in from the left and it was all over for us. The others slipped ahead of us by thirteen nautical miles, after which is was only a direct line towards the finish."

Despite the result, Verbraak said he was satisfied about their leg from Marstrand to Stockholm: "We sailed well. At the southern point of Sweden, we took the outside bend and got back to the fleet, i n front of Telefonica Black and Green Dragon. We are still fighting."

Watch leader Nick Bice (AUS): "Of course we are disappointed, but we sailed a good race until we took the easterly route. Better trying to get that podium finish, than not taking any risk and ending up in the middle of the fleet again."

Result leg nine:
1. PUMA
2. Ericsson 3
3. Ericsson 4
4. Telefónica Black
5. Green Dragon
6. Delta Lloyd
7. Telefónica Blue SUSPENDED RACING

8. Team Russia DNS

Overall Leaderboard:
1. Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA): 108 points
2. PUMA (Ken Read/USA): 95.0 points
3. Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED): SUSPENDED RACING 86.0 points
4. Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE): 71.5 points
5. Green Dragon (Ian Walker/GBR): 63.0 points
6. Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri/ESP): 47.0 points
7. Delta Lloyd (Roberto Bermudez/ESP): 38.0 points
8. Team Russia (Andreas H anakamp/AUT): 10.5 points

Team Delta Lloyd
Volvo Ocean Race