Telefonica Blue wins the fourth leg 29 Jan 2009

Simon Fisher (Si Fi) is on board Telefonica Blue, part of the two-boat Spanish Team for the 2008-2009 Volvo Round the World Race. The race started in Alicante in Spain on 11th October 2008 with stop-overs in Cape Town, Cochin (India), Singapore, Qingdao, Rio, Boston, Galway, Maastrand and Stockholm before finishing in St. Petersberg at the end of June 2009.

After taking line honours in the third leg, Telefonica Blue confirmed their intent by winning the fourth leg as well, placing them second to Ericcson 4. Although both boats have won two legs, Ericcson 4 has faired better in the short races when in harbour.

This last leg was one of the toughest of any ocean race experienced by any of the crew, many of them veterans of several round the World races. In the survival conditions many of the fleet are nursing serious damage and are sheltering in Taiwan, affecting repairs.

Simon is navigator on Telefonica Blue and tells of 14 metre waves and 55 knot winds on the nose. "There are more pleasant places I would rather be in a Volvo 70 than the South China Seas in those conditions in winter," said Simon as they came alongside the dock, "but we won the leg and nursed the boat through some amazing conditions. We are now looking forward to the next leg from Qingdao to Rio in Brazil – oh yes and a beer ashore!"

For more more information about Si Fi, Telefonica Blue and the Volvo Ocean Race, click on the link on the right.