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DRAMATIC START14th June, 2009
Its been a dramatic day on leg 9 of the Volvo Ocean Race with Telefonica Blue hitting a rock at 15 knots shortly after leaving Marstrand. We were 10 boat lengths behind them at the time and we were able to head up and around the rock. Ian Moore assures me he knew all about it and was looking at the rock on the chart at the exact moment that they hit! Hopefully nobody is injured as running aground at even 10 knots can be very nasty indeed. After falling into no wind shortly after the start we sailed well to pick our way up into 1st place at mark
TREMENDOUS SAILING11th June, 2009
It has been a tremendous five or six days sailing, it has been some of the mot fun I have had sailing during this race. We were in really close contact with all the leaders all the way round, pretty much from Galway once we left the bay. We got out ahead and it was great to give the home crowd a bit back for everything they did for us.
AN EXHAUSTING LEG11th June, 2009
These shorter coastal legs are harder, from the moment we left Galway until the time we got here there was no time at all. We were constantly making decisions or changing sails or planning stuff. There was one short period in the middle where we managed to rest up and without that we would have been in real trouble. When we went through the Rotterdam loop and then it was windy downwind we were getting really tired at that point. I guess we recovered a bit and then it was very tiring again for the last 24 hours.
GREAT TO GET THIRD11th June, 2009
It was very hard work; it was frustrating for us we were second of first for most of the race. Every time we got in the lead, we would be passed and then we would have to do it again, and again. We did it one more time just before the finish and then PUMA slipped past us. But it is great to get third, the guys did an awesome job it was really hard work for them, but I can’t deny I’m frustrated we didn’t do better.
THE FINAL PUSH10th June, 2009
I cannot believe how changeable the conditions have been over the last 4 days and that is from someone who has sailed in the English Channel a lot.Even now as we clear the top of Denmark we are having to contend with 60 degree windshifts but thankfully far less shipping. Ian Moore has done a great job navigating such tricky weather and thanks to these changeable conditions we have managed to maintain a top 3 place for a few days now.
Interview with Damian Foxall - pre Leg 10
Interview with Damian Foxall - pre Leg 10
INTERVIEW SKIPPER IAN WALKER - IN PORT RACE STOCKHOLM
INTERVIEW SKIPPER IAN WALKER - IN PORT RACE STOCKHOLM
