December 2, 2024

 

Telefonica Blue In-Port Race Winner (Photo By Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race)
Telefonica Blue In-Port Race Winner (Photo By Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race)

It was a great win in the ‘Light In-Port Race’ for Bouwe Bekking’s Telefónica Blue after a long postponement in Rio de Janeiro today.  PUMA (Ken Read/USA) put in a solid performance to take second, but the surprise result was the outstanding performance by the rejuvenated Delta Lloyd with Spaniard, Roberto Bérmudez in charge, who took the third podium position.

Only one race was run due to the two hour postponement, but once the sea breeze filled in, there was a solid seven to 10 knot southerly breeze on the Guanabara BayIan Walker and Green Dragon led the fleet off the pin end of the start line, with Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA), sailing with HRH the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden onboard, and Delta Lloyd looking good at the windward end. 

 

Rio de Janeiro Light In-Port Race (Photo By Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race)
Rio de Janeiro Light In-Port Race (Photo By Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race)

  The new era of Team Delta Lloyd was welcomed with a maiden podium finish, but Bouwe Bekking had the biggest grin at the end of the ‘Light In-Port Race’ in Rio de Janeiro today.

His Telefonica Blue team were seemingly out of the running when they passed the first turning mark in fourth place, 27 seconds off PUMA’s well-earned lead.

But, having chosen the left-hand side of the track (looking upwind) on the downwind run, they profited from a wind shift and stormed to the front of the fleet.

Ken Read elected to start on port tack, and out in the clear air on the right hand side of the course, the choice paid off.  At the first mark PUMA led the field, followed closely by Ericsson 3, the winner of leg five, with Magnus Olsson as skipper.

Volvo Ocean Race Rio de Janeiro In-Port Race (Photo By Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race)
Volvo Ocean Race Rio de Janeiro In-Port Race (Photo By Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race)

 In the first down wind leg, Telefónica Blue and Delta Lloyd, who were mid fleet at the top mark, both benefitted from a big puff of wind on the left hand side of the course and shot into first and second place.  Telefónica Blue was never challenged for the lead, but PUMA managed to slip past Delta Lloyd to steal second place. 

The main action today was towards the middle of the fleet, an unusual position for the multiple Olympic medallist and local lad Torben Grael, when he found himself in a race between Green Dragon and Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri/ESP). 

Volvo Ocean In-Port Race Rio de Janeiro (Photo By Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race
Volvo Ocean In-Port Race Rio de Janeiro (Photo By Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race

 

 

 

 

Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Rio de Janeiro Downwind Leg (Photo By Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race)
Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Rio de Janeiro Downwind Leg (Photo By Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race)

PUMA , Ericsson 3 and Ericsson 4 Under Spinnaker In Rio Light In-Port Race (Photo By Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race)
PUMA , Ericsson 3 and Ericsson 4 Under Spinnaker In Rio Light In-Port Race (Photo By Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race)

 

 

 

PUMA Under Spinnaker In Rio de Janeiro Light In-Port Race (Photo By Rick Tomilnson/Volvo Ocean Race)
PUMA Under Spinnaker In Rio de Janeiro Light In-Port Race (Photo By Rick Tomilnson/Volvo Ocean Race)

 

 

 

Volvo Fleet In Rio Light In-Port Race (Photo By Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race)
Volvo Fleet In Rio Light In-Port Race (Photo By Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race)

 

 

Today’s results do not change the order on the overall leaderboard, but do close the margin between Ericsson 4 at the top and PUMA and Telefónica Blue in second and third place.

And so Delta Lloyd get today’s honourable mention, not just for picking the right side of the first run, along with Telefonica Blue, but for two calls by Andre Fonseca. The tactician held his nerve and held his line on port tack, when crossing Ericsson 4 by the slenderest of margins at the bottom of the first run, and again at the bottom of the second run. The slightest misjudgement would have cost them a penalty and third place. But there was no misjudgement, Delta Lloyd past clear ahead both times, and recorded their best result of the event so far.

 Puma and Green Dragon Rio

 

 The start of leg six, 4,500 nm from Rio to Boston begins next Saturday, 11 April.

The Light In-Port Race Rio de Janeiro Results (Provisional)
1. Telefónica Blue 4.0 points
2. PUMA 3.5 points
3. Delta Lloyd 3.0 points
4. Ericsson 4: 2.5 points
5. Telefónica Black 2.0 points
6. Green Dragon 1.5 points
7. Ericsson 3: 1 points
8. Team Russia DNS

Overall Leaderboard
1. Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA): 66 points
2. PUMA (Ken Read/USA): 56.5 points
3. Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED): 54.5 points
4. Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE): 44.5 points
5. Green Dragon (Ian Walker/GBR): 41 points
6. Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri/ESP): 23 points
7. Delta Lloyd (Roberto Bermudez/ESP): 15 points
8. Team Russia (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT): 10.5 points

  

 Both Ericsson 4 and Telefónica Black managed to beat back Green Dragon to post fourth and fifth at the finish, pushing Ian Walker and his men into sixth place. After their superb start, Green Dragon was never really in contention and Ian Walker will no doubt be disappointed with his result today.  Ericsson 3’s day was effectively over when she had to take a penalty for a port/starboard infringement with Telefónica Black. 

Leave a Reply

error: Content is protected !!