Killer whale makes waves in Volvo Ocean Race
Published 21 November, 2008, 14:38
Team Russia have continued to make strides during the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. Their Kosatka vessel crossed the latest scoring gate in fourth place, ahead of one final push to the Indian city of Kochi.
The Kosatka vessel, translated as ‘Killer Whale’, has so far lived up to its name by being able to survive in the notoriously tough Southern Ocean.
After finishing a respectable sixth in the first leg, debutants Team Russia were in for an uphill struggle on the first stretch of the second leg.
The ship and crew faced one of the more stern tests of the event – battling the so-called roaring forties latitudes. The location is named as such due to strong prevailing westerly winds.
Skipper and former Austrian Olympian, Andreas Hanakamp, pushed the boat to the limit to make up for a disappointing restart in Cape Town, braving virtually unbearable conditions.
On Thursday, Ericsson Racing Team boat Ericsson 4 finished first in the early hours of the morning, while Russia followed behind the other heavyweights by checking in fourth at the scoring gate around six hours later at 0945 GMT.
The 2.5 points received at that checkpoint is certainly a huge boost for a team who are currently second last overall.
Team Russia now have a lot to do on the 3,000 nautical mile home stretch to Kochi, India. While the weather is said to be looking up along that route, the competition is hardly expected to let up.
The Russians have every reason to be confident in their watercraft which has been able to hold up despite a huge beating from the elements. The team's strategy to perform safety stops early often paid dividends during the early stages of the race.
And while the crew members may be able to see some sunshine soon, maybe even throw on some shorts, they still have a long way to go if local owner Oleg Zherebtsov and company want a glorious homecoming in Saint Petersburg, where the event finishes on June 25.
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