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VOLVO OCEAN RACE - TELEFONICA BLUE WINS LEG THREE

Anders Lewander, Ericsson 3, post-finish: “It’s been so enormously tough all of this leg…but it’s been really amazing. I’ve really enjoyed this leg because of the close tactics and the mix of conditions. It’s hard work but the close encounter and the whole situation on this leg has been really challenging.

“I must admit that at several occasions during this leg I truly believed we were able to win. I’m really proud and happy about our achievement…this short gybing and close encounters is really good racing.

“The Malacca Strait was challenging with night sailing up the shoreline…then the line-up with the four of us in very variable, light wind conditions. It was a bit of a lottery situation. But it was important to keep in mind the big picture and not necessarily look just at the short term.”

16:00 GMT update

Bouwe Bekking from the finish line: "A very happy bunch here on Telefonic Blue. We kept our heads cool today, and as predicted it wasn't over until close to the finish. We had all the exitement in the last 50 miles, dodging fishing nets, zig-zagging around tugboats, hundreds of commercial ships, and then the wind which was ranging from 20 knots to nearly zero. A real test for all the guys minds, as our nice advantage over the others nearly vanished, but we pulled it off and all the guys did a marvelous job. A better X-mas present we couldn't have wished for."

15:45 GMT update

Updated leaderboard (subject to official ratification and protest)

1 Ericsson 4 - 35.0 (finished)
2 Telefonica Blue - 30.5 (finished)
3 PUMA Ocean Racing - 27.5 (finished)
4 3Ericsson 3 - 23.5 (finished)
5 Green Dragon - 17.5 (racing)
6 Telefonica Black - 15.5 (racing)
7 Team Russia - 8.5 (racing)
8 Delta Lloyd - 8.0 (racing)

15:10 GMT update

Telefonica Blue won leg three but behind, PUMA has grabbed second place, while the Nordic crew on board Ericsson 3 pushed their stable mates and overall race leader, Ericsson 4 into fourth place for the leg.

We'll have reaction shortly.

15:00 update

Telefonica Blue crossed the finish line off Singapore at 14:51:22 GMT, or 22:51:22 local time. The fight for second place remains, with PUMA and the two Ericsson entries separated by just a few hundred metres approaching the line.

14:30 GMT update

Reports from the water say the race course is littered with commercial traffic and container ships - not a surprise on the waters off Singapore. But it's another element for the skippers to contend with. Choosing to pass on one side or the other of a ship may be the difference between second and fourth.

Meanwhile, further back. Green Dragon is gamely fending off Team Russia. The Russian have gained over 20 miles over the past day on the Dragons, but Ian Walker's men have crawled back a couple of miles to hold a four mile lead with just under 100 miles to run to the finish.

14:00 GMT

It doesn't get any closer.

Telefonica Blue is two miles clear of the chasing group, but PUMA, Ericsson 4 and Ericsson 3 are all within metres of each other with less than 10 miles to go to the finish.

While Bouwe Bekking looks well positioned with less than an hour to go, how this plays out is far from certain. Stay tuned.

13:30 update

With the race into Singapore so close, position reports will be updated every hour until the leading group crosses the line.

Tensions are running on board as each team realises the difference between finishing first and fourth is going to come down to one unlucky gust, or one poorly executed manoeuvre. The margin for error is non-existent.

Telefonica Blue is leading the charge and now (13:30 GMT) have just one hour to go to the finish. Bouwe Bekking's men have a two mile margin over PUMA with the Ericsson twins both just one mile further back.

The wind is holding strong and at 13:30 the boats were making about 12 knots through the water with Telefonica Blue just under 14 miles from the finish line.


Posted on 22 December 2008 (Archive on 21 January 2009)
Posted by Blue Sheets  Contributed by Blue Sheets
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