[Source: Emirates Team New Zealand] CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand today announced a crew change ahead of Leg 7. Bowman Mike Pammenter will step down for the leg due to a prolapsed disc in his back. Mike sustained the injury during the sixth leg from Itajai to Miami. Reserve crew member Nick Burridge will move into the role for the transatlantic leg from Miami to Lisbon starting on May 20th.

CAMPER skipper Chris Nicholson says that the decision to rest Mike for the leg was made after a full medical assessment.

“Our team physio Paul Wilson has carried out a full assessment of Mike, and as with any injury of this nature the biggest issue can be time, so we are keen to make sure he has the opprotunity to rest and recover so that he can rejoin the team as soon as possible.

“While Mike is obviously disappointed to miss this leg it will be a great opportunity for Nick. As our reserve crew member, Nick has been with the sailing team since day one. While his day to day duties are within the rigging area on the shore side, he still joins us at every fitness session and for training on the water so he is very much a part of the team and we look forward to having him out there.”

Emirates Team New Zealand Physiotherapist and Medical Advisor Paul Wilson, “Due to the amount of heavy lifting onboard, lower back injuries are common in this sport. I am confident that with effective treatment and rest he will make a full recovery, but it is important he has a few weeks on land to allow the disc to heal. We hope to see him back onboard CAMPER in Lisbon for the remainder of the race.”

[Source: Esimit Europa] Esimit Europa, one of the most prominent European projects, presented its future goals and endeavours in sport and international diplomacy. The symbol of the project, Esimit Europa 2, one of the technologically most improved yachts in the world, which is under the patronage of the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barosso, and has Gazprom as its main sponsor, enjoys the reputation of being undefeated. This year it will try to conquer all five regattas – Giraglia Rolex Cup, Palermo – Monte Carlo, Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Bernetti Lombardini Cup and Barcolana. It will also try to beat a 9 year-old world speed record from Monaco and Porto Cervo (Sardinia, Italy) approved by the International Sailing Federation, under the World Sailing Speed Record Council Rule 21 (c) in a Powered Sailing System category. At the end of May Esimit Europa, as a symbol of strengthening European identity and mutual collaboration among European nations, companies and institutions, will be present at the meeting of the biggest European companies – European Business Congress. The yacht has also been granted an important protocolary role in the Cyprus Presidency to the European Union in the second half of 2012. The founder of the Esimit Europa project, Igor Simčič, in collaboration with the Italian government representative in Trieste, is also announcing a gala European event, which will be organized on the eve of one of the largest regattas in the world – the Barcolana regatta. European ministers, ambassadors and other important diplomats will be invited on this occasion.

»Regarding the fact that we are heading for the last season, when we are competing mainly in the Mediterranean, our goal is to show impeccable performances at all the attended regattas and once again prove, that Europeans have our own sports symbol and our own winning team, which we can be exceptionally proud of. In the 2013 season, we will carry the European flag to some of the most demanding regattas in Germany, United Kingdom and Sweden, and in the second half of the season return back to the Mediterranean. It will be the time, when important decisions regarding our long term future will be made«, said Igor Simčič.

The 100-foot maxi yacht Esimit Europa 2 has seen many technical improvements from when it sailed into its winter base at end of the last season, especially in terms of electronics and hydraulics; it has become a true research and developmental laboratory for the biggest suppliers of nautical equipment in the world. The premium technology will this year be in the hands of 18-member international crew of sailing superstars, Jochen Schümann (GER), Juan Vila (SPA), Alberto Bolzan (ITA), Vasilij Žbogar (SLO). They are joined by many of the experienced sailors from the whole European continent, as Albert Jacobsoone (FRA), one of the best young sailors in the world Boris Hermann (GER), Ignacio Braquehais (SPA), Anton Sergeev (RUS) and also bringing rich experience to the team is Frank O’Leary (IRL).

»First trainings in Valencia have shown that the team of our engineers, in cooperation with numerous external partners, did exceptional work, as Esimit Europa 2 is in great shape and ready for the season to start. Despite the fact that operating with such a complex yacht is a process, which takes a life-long training, I am extremely happy, that the new members acquired the specifics of sailing on Esimit Europa 2 so quickly. There is an exceptional atmosphere among us, therefore, I am with excitement looking forward to the challenges ahead of us«, added skipper Jochen Schümann.

The Esimit Europa 2 yacht sails under the flag of the European Union, is registered on Cyprus, a member of Yacht Club de Monaco, competes for the Slovenian Sailing Federation and on board joins sailors from 7 various European countries. It is under the patronage of the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and its main sponsor is the Russian energetics company Gazprom.

[Source: Team Telefonica] Following 17 days, 8 hours, 6 minutes and 38 seconds of the leg, “Telefónica” finished the sixth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race early this morning. After a heart-stopping final stretch, the boat headed up by Olympic champion Iker Martínez crossed the finishing line in Miami just 37 minutes after French entry “Groupama”. A fourth place for the Spanish team in this leg and they reach Miami maintaining the lead in the overall rankings of the regatta, although the points difference with their closest rivals have been reduced: to eleven points with second-placed “Groupama” and fifteen with third-placed “Camper”.

“We have to think about the fact that we are still in front on the leader board, which is important. This is the first ocean leg we haven’t finished on the podium and I also hope it’s our last. What we can do from here is prepare as we did for each of the legs and go for the next one, which is going to be both complex and tough, as well as very cold and windy, and then we’ll get to Europe for the final. We’re going for the next one!”, said Spanish skipper Iker Martínez just before stepping back on to dry land after more than 17 days at sea.

Yet again, a tight finish

“Telefónica” went all in against “Groupama” yesterday in the battle for third, a move which made in impact right up to the finishing line. The opportunity came for the Spaniards at one of the most central islands in the Bahamas, Cat island. The yacht changed course to put the island to port.

The play went well for Martínez and his guys who managed to move up to under two miles of the French boat, although they didn’t manage to get in front of them. With fifty miles to the finish just five miles stood between the boats.

Some seven hours before the finish the French boat was trapped by a cloud and was advancing at speeds of just over two knots, whilst “Telefónica” pushed ahead at 12 knots, with the finish 25 miles away. It looked like another podium finish was a possibility for the Spanish, although in the end the French broke free from the hold-up. At 00:29 UTC the podium of the leg was complete, with the final step going to Franck Cammas and his crew. The French skipper approached Iker Martínez to greet him, even before the skipper had stepped off his yacht, congratulating him on the battle the two had shared.

“The final 300 miles have been very intense because we were just seven or eight miles from ‘Groupama’ the whole time, but the course meant that it was really difficult to get in front of them and when we got into the channels at the Bahamas there were very few options available. We pressured them up to the finish. Towards the end they caught a cloud and it looked like we were getting close, but it wasn’t to be in the end”, said Alicante’s Pepe Ribes back on shore.

Iker Martínez admitted that “the result wasn’t what we wanted, especially as things were going relatively well until a few days before finishing, with everything under control more or less, the three boats leading and our rivals, the French behind and everything was looking good”.

“We fought for it right to the end, but it wasn’t to be. I don’t think that this result reflects the efforts everyone put in and the quality of work, but that’s how it is”, added the Basque skipper.

“Puma” winner of the leg. “Telefónica”, holds on to overall lead

“Puma” is the leg winner of the sixth leg, having crossed the finishing line at 14:14 local time (18:14 UTC). An hour and seven minutes later, at 19:21 UTC, “Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand” finished in second place.

After a total of six legs and five in-port races Team Telefónica continues to lead at the top of the overall standings, followed by “Groupama” (11 points behind) and “Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand” (15 points away) and “Puma” (17 points behind).

MORE QUOTES

Iker Martínez, skipper
The last few miles are always very intense. We were very close to “Groupama”, and we were there fighting with them. The guys in front had already got away and it was impossible to catch them up unless they’d been stopped, which they weren’t. “Abu Dhabi” was behind, but further away, so it was a fight between the two of us with us battling with the French right up to the finish. We tried to get past them a few times, but it wasn’t possible. It is a real shame because it would have meant so much to have finished in third here and to have come in ahead of “Groupama” would have been a good result, but it wasn’t to be.

Xabi Fernández, trimmer
A result when it’s not a podium finish is never a good result. But it’s also why the great legs we’ve done before this count so much and have given us the cushion in terms of points. We are still ahead, and that is always good and now what we’ve got to do is to rest a bit and then analyse what we did and prepare for the next one.

Pablo Arrarte, helm
The Equatorial legs are usually very hot and with light airs and you get the boat ready for those light conditions, so one of the things you cut down on is food. We knew that it was going to be this hot and that we’d suffer! You complain when it’s cold and you complain when it’s hot. There’s nothing you can do about it, but personally I prefer the heat because the cold is a lot tougher to handle.

Pepe Ribes, boat captain
The leg was going pretty well until about 1,000 miles to go to the finish when we were 20 nautical miles from “Camper” and 40 from “Puma”. At that point there was a break and a very strong anticyclone moved in and caught us. We had to gybe and look for “Groupama”. The boats in front got away and the French got past us. Until then everything was going well, we were comfortable with the guys in front and a small issue in terms of positioning meant that it wasn’t us on the podium today.

[Source: Groupama Sailing Team] It’s probably the most stressful leg Franck Cammas and his crew have experienced to date! Indeed, from the start in Itajai some 17 days 07 hours 29 minutes ago, Groupama 4 got left behind due to the breeze kicking in from the front of the fleet, favouring the leaders, who subsequently amassed a lead of as much as 157 miles offshore of Brazil… However, the French never gave up and gradually managed to catch up with and then overtake Abu Dhabi before the Antilles, before attempting a courageous option, which bore fruit when the Spanish had to gybe to reposition themselves offshore of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Uncertainty right to the finish

Though the American and New Zealanders proved to be impregnable leaders, Groupama 4′s position was again threatened when the Spanish passed to the East of Cat Island whilst Franck Cammas and his men were trapped in a zone of calms to the West. The separation between the two boats compressed to less than two miles before the breeze finally deigned to kick back in over the Bahamas. With a lead of just ten miles as they rounded Eleuthera Island, 130 miles from the finish, the duel was still wide open as the crews had yet to negotiate the Gulf Stream current and a wind which was shifting round to the South-West as it eased. Telefonica tried to pull one last move by moving across to windward, but Groupama 4 still managed to make the finish in Miami with a 37-minute lead!

“We’re obviously frustrated because we weren’t able to battle it out for the top spot for three weeks, which was hard to bear. Fortunately, the final week proved to be more positive, when we overtook Abu Dhabi and then Telefonica: ultimately we did a really good job in terms of the overall standing. We ended this sixth leg on a positive note, but we got off to such a bad start that we wondered what we were doing here for ten days or so! However, we managed to stay calm and focused on getting the boat to make headway as we waited for a possible opportunity to come our way. We didn’t do well over the first days of racing: we didn’t have a good feeling with the boat and we certainly didn’t have the trimming sussed. We managed to get back into the fight thanks to a few good decisions, which fired our motivation again. We’ve finished ahead of the Spanish, who always sail very well, even though it was a very close run thing right up to the finish! On a physical level it was the easiest leg we’ve had, despite the heat, but it was also the most stressful since the start of the race in Alicante… The overall standing has bunched together as four boats are still in with a chance of outright victory in Galway: everything is still open and the battle will continue!” commented Franck Cammas at the finish in Miami.

“Mentally it’s been the toughest leg since the start of the Volvo Ocean Race! What I really like is that I’ve learnt something different on every leg, and particularly at the end here, where we managed to get back into the fight thanks to two fine options by Jean-Luc Nélias and Franck Cammas. To keep ahead of a crew like Telefonica, you really have to dig deep… Even yesterday evening, we were making 1.2 knots in 1.2 knots of breeze: we were in despair! In the Gulf Stream too, we still had everything to lose as we were caught up in a very big squall, which could have turned the result on its head. It’s fortunate that the race ended on a positive note like this because it will give the crew a massive boost,” explained Thomas Coville, watch leader on Groupama 4.

“There was a huge amount of seaweed around the Bahamas, which got caught around the rudders and the keel, slowing the boat. Usually you go into reverse at times like that, but conditions were excellent and as the boat wasn’t going too fast, it was quicker to jump into the water and remove it by hand! It wasn’t an ordeal given the temperature of the water… It wasn’t easy to remain quick when you suffer the setback of being last. We’re satisfied with the result, but we’re disappointed to have sailed the majority of the race at the back of the fleet. Fortunately, there were some opportunities in the poorly established tradewinds,” commented Charles Caudrelier in Miami.

Standing in the sixth leg between Itajai and Miami
1-Puma (Ken Read) : 17d 01h 13′ 59 (30 points)
2-Camper (Chris Nicholson) : 17d 02h 21′ 24 (25 points)
3-Groupama 4 (Franck Cammas) : 17d 07h 29′ 03 (20 points)
4-Telefonica (Iker Martinez) : 17d 08h 06′ 38 (15 points)
5-Abu Dhabi (Ian Walker) : 17d 16h 57′ 37 (10 points)
6-Sanya (Mike Sanderson) : DNS (0 points)

(Provisional) overall standing after this sixth leg
1-Telefonica (Iker Martinez) : 1+30+6+29+2+27+6+20+1+25+2+15 = 164 points
2-Groupama 4 (Franck Cammas) : 2+20+2+18+5+24+2+30+4+20+6+20 = 153 points
3-Camper (Chris Nicholson) : 4+25+5+24+4+18+3+15+6+15+5+25 = 149 points
4-Puma (Ken Read) : 5+0+4+19+3+17+5+25+5+30+4+30 = 147 points
5-Abu Dhabi (Ian Walker) : 6+0+3+10+6+14+4+10+2+0+3+10 = 68 points
6-Sanya (Mike Sanderson) : 3+0+1+5+2+5+1+5+3+0+0+0 = 25 points

[Source: Camper] CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the finish line in Miami earlier today, happy with their performance and the 25 points won for the second place. They completed the 4800-mile leg from Itajai in Brasil to Miami in Florida in 17days 2 hours 21 minutes and 24 seconds.

In a leg that has seen an oceanic match race more or less from start to finish, skipper Chris Nicholson and his crew were comfortable with their performance although an outright leg victory would have been a sweet reward for all their hard work.

“It was good, especially after the last leg, which was tough for us. We are very happy with the way the whole team pulled together in itajai and got us here in good shape. You are always frustrated not to win as that is why you do it but there was a lot of close racing and we had a lot of sail area up in a lot of breeze just wondering who would crack first,” commented Nicholson dockside in Miami.

“It is like a lot of the skippers have said – this race will be close. I am hoping it comes down to the wire in Galway,” he concluded.

Given the closeness of the race, excellent crew work and smart decisions by both navigator and skipper all played a crucial part in the final result. CAMPER navigator Will Oxley only managed some 20 minutes of sleep on the final day of the leg but was generous in his praise of Puma.

“They sailed a very good race, but we were there all the way and did not make it easy for them. But the most important thing is that the boats ahead of us on the leaderboard are behind us on the water. We deserve to be in the top two, that is for sure. Our decision to go in between the islands was one that we had mapped out well before the start of the leg so we knew what we were doing. But this leg was not won by one critical maneouvre, there were some 50 places that it could have gone wrong,” commented a tired but elated Will Oxley.

Daryl Wislang, bowman spoke of the determination onboard the Hispanic-New Zealand entry: “We were never going to give up right until Puma finished. We have been pushing as hard as we have been all leg. But this race is anyone’s game and there are four boats that are going to be pretty close at the end of this leg. “

CAMPER now has eight days to prepare for the ProAm Race on the 18th May. While the sailing team take some well earned time off, the CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand shore team will be ensuring that CAMPER is race fit and ready ahead of the start weekend in mid May.

The PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG crew charged to the front of the fleet when they departed Itajai, Brazil, and held on to the lead through the finish of Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12. PUMA’s Mar Mostro crossed the line in Miami, Fla., USA at 14:14:00 local/18:14:00 UTC on Wednesday, May 9, to win a second consecutive leg in front of a hometown crowd. The team completed Leg 6 in 17 days, 1 hour, 13 minutes and 59 seconds, edging out second-place CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand.

“Hello Miami! This is unbelievable,” said skipper Ken Read, from Newport, Rhode Island, USA, upon crossing the finish line. “It’s great to be back in the U.S. And, we’ve actually been to Miami before on this boat, so this marks our complete circumnavigation of the globe.

“This was about a stressful a leg as it can get,” Read continued. “The guys on CAMPER sailed really well and it was touch-and-go for a lot of the time. But, I couldn’t be more proud of our team – just an incredibly good job.”

As the U.S. entry in this year’s race, PUMA made an exciting entrance into Miami with three Americans onboard – Read, trimmer Rome Kirby (Newport, R.I.) and media crew member Amory Ross (Newport, R.I.). The Miami arrival marked a complete lap around the planet for PUMA’s Mar Mostro as the crew made a training run from their home port of Newport to Miami in May 2011.

“It’s fantastic – I’m psyched to be home,” said Kirby. “The leg was nice sailing for a lot of it, but also a bit frustrating. We had some pretty light air sailing that was tough. But, coming into the U.S. in first place – you can’t beat it.”

PUMA departed Itajai on April 22 and led the fleet on the start of the leg. They were the first team to reach the equator, crossing it on April 30 for the fourth and final time this race. With CAMPER within sight several days throughout the leg, PUMA held off their charge to finish just over an hour ahead for the 4,800 nautical mile leg.

With the win, PUMA added 30 points to total 147 overall in this year’s race. Team Telefónica will maintain the overall lead upon completion of the leg.

PUMA’s Mar Mostro also captured the IWC Schaffhausen Speed Record Challenge trophy for Leg 6. On May 3, the crew posted a 511 nautical mile run to win the award for the third time in the race, having also won for Leg 3 and 4.

PUMA’s Mar Mostro, built and launched in Newport, R.I., departed U.S. waters on July 3, 2011, with the start of the Transatlantic Race 2011 from Newport to Lizard Point, Cornwall, U.K. The crew made a training run to Miami and visited the city on May 13, 2011.

Shannon Falcone (Falmouth Harbor, Antigua) and a member of the ORACLE Racing team, joined the PUMA crew on board for Leg 6, taking the place of Casey Smith (Brisbane, Australia) who injured his back during Leg 5. Smith is expected to return for the PORTMIAMI In-Port Race on Saturday, May 19.

QUOTING KEN READ:

“This is now three legs of my Volvo career where I haven’t shaved, and all three legs we’ve won.”

[Source: Volvo Ocean Race] Ken Read and the team on PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG are flying into the last 100 miles to the Miami finish line at average speeds of almost 20 knots, with CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) in their rear view mirror, 18.10 nm behind. But it has been a tortuous night and Ken Read and his men came perilously close to losing the lead.

As PUMA and CAMPER drifted towards the turning point at Eleuthera on Tuesday evening, the PUMA crew prepared for the worst, as they became becalmed close to the beach, sitting dead in the water. After a quick gybe and a change to a different sail, the team tried their chances further offshore, but again ran out of wind as CAMPER appeared on the horizon.

“At this point we’re watching them sail down our line in utter amazement. We’re drifting in complete glass-off conditions. There is not a ripple on the water and all eyes are on the advancing red sails,” wrote PUMA’s Media Crew Member (MCM) Amory Ross.

Then, as the PUMA crew sat drifting helplessly, CAMPER too ran out of wind. When the sun set, the wind returned and although CAMPER were now too close for comfort, PUMA had held on to the lead.

The leading pair clawed their way around the Eleuthera Light just an hour apart at 0210 and 0310 GMT this morning, and PUMA is now stretching away towards a finish later today.

For CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, the finish can’t come quickly enough, having spent 70 of the last 88 days on board due to their pit stop in Chile to repair the boat during Leg 5 and their subsequent late arrival into Itajaí in Brazil.

Meanwhile, the fight for the third podium place continues between Groupama (Franck Cammas/FRA) and Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP). After choosing different tactics to pass Cat Island on Tuesday, they have reconnected and Groupama still leads Telefónica on the approach to Eleuthera Light, but only by eight miles. They are both over 100 nm behind PUMA.

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) are watching the action from the sidelines over 160 nm astern. “The pressure should build the longer we are out here, so perhaps we can come flying up from behind to make it a tight finish,” said MCM Nick Dana wistfully.

As PUMA and CAMPER count down the final hours of the 4,800 nm Leg 6 from Itajaí in Brazil to Miami, Ken Read and his men will attempt to apply the basketball adage of keeping themselves between their opponent [CAMPER] and the hoop. “Sure sounds easy, but when you can’t see your opponent anymore it is like playing basketball in the pitch black and trying to stay with your man,” Read said today.

The leading boat is expected to arrive in Miami around 1600 GMT today.

[Source: Puma Ocean Racing] There’s very little we have in common with the average working member of society. We have no desk, we have no morning commute, there are no sick days, and there are certainly no weekends. But one thing we have in common this week is a shared fear of Monday. You’re terrified of Monday – and today is Monday – but we too have been looking at this Monday on the calendar, dreading its arrival. On this Monday our beloved winds will likely leave us one final time, gradually over the course of the day’s passing.

The complete easing of our breeze should begin this morning, and because we’re the furthest west it will impact us first, again opening the door for CAMPER and Telefónica to eat into our lead from their trailing positions. Tom is saying tonight could be a full on drift-off, and while this leg has been full of back-to-front compression scenarios, this one is just a few days from the finish line and that makes it that much more dangerous.

Our saving grace is that – unlike previous compressions – the attacking boats will be geographically restricted by the islands, and at some point they will be forced to sail into the same waters an winds as us. Passing lanes and open-ocean leverage that could allow for dramatic lead changes will be much harder to find as our course to the turning mark at Eleuthera is a relatively straight one. While it does nothing to change the fact that we’ll eventually be without wind, it does comfort us to know that it’s a fate the others will likely suffer too.

So Monday it is, and it’s going to be a big one. In all likeliness the boat that best handles this final high-pressure hurdle gets the jump on the short sprint to Miami, a jump that could quickly prove insurmountable. Time is running short and the remaining mileage is low, so we’ll be sure to shake off the easy-sailing casualness for the final stages of a leg home to America we very much want to win!