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Groupama sailing team skipper Franck Cammas joked his team might ignore a small crack in their yacht’s hull after blitzing the fleet in the climax to Leg 2.
IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race
IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race
PAUL TODD/Volvo Ocean Race
IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race
“It was a very good day for us, good for our confidence. It doesn’t give a lot of points but it is an important win” - Franck Cammas
“This morning we were a little worried about the repair,” Cammas said, “but now I think we were so fast we will leave it!”
To their horror, the crew discovered the damage as Groupama 4 was loaded onto the ship in the safe haven port, but due to the tight logistical schedule were unable to make any repairs at the time.
The first glimpse the sailors got of it was as their Volvo Open 70 was unloaded again in the northern United Arab Emirates.
Six of the crew carried out temporary repairs, with minimal time and tools less than 48 hours before the Stage 2 start. However, any concern the team had over the damage quickly disappeared as they shot through the fleet to snatch victory from Team Telefónica in the last 10 miles of racing.
Prior to racing Cammas had highlighted windy reaching conditions as the best for Groupama and his wishes were granted as a 15-25 knot north-westerly breeze greeted the five teams.
There was no holding the French team back as they reeled in PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand and finally Telefónica to seal the win by 52 seconds.
“We were very fast today,” added Cammas, celebrating his team’s first win in the 2011-12 edition. “It was a very good day for us, good for our confidence. It doesn’t give a lot of points but it is an important win.”
Groupama watch captain Thomas Coville added: “It was a fabulous fight until the end. For me, that's what the Volvo Ocean Race is: never give up! We had a great confrontation in amazing conditions.”
Tests on Groupama 4’s hull will now take place during the stopover before the teams commence racing again on January 13 with the Etihad Airways In-Port Race followed by the Leg 3 start on January 14.
Groupama will go into racing in third position overall on 42 points, 16 points behind second placed CAMPER and 24 points behind leaders Telefónica.
Related Articles
- 14 Jan 2012Inshore boost rockets Groupama out of Abu Dhabi
- 3 Jan 2012 Groupama repair minor hull damage
- 2 Jan 2012Cammas prays to weather gods for wind
- 24 Dec 2011Nicholson's three wise men shepherd CAMPER into the lead
- 21 Dec 2011Groupama position for Doldrums crossing
- 19 Dec 2011Fleet closes up as Sanya detour for repairs
Comments
Groupama win. Well. But thre is some questions that i can't understand. This race is not race, because you can start on every leg instead you go out.. Also, you can get some happy end with every one who gone through all earth oceans... Well this is happy volvo ocean race. Sorry, but with this pirates it is necessery to think about another ocean way to save the spirit of real ocean race.Abu Dhabi,Sanya are amazing places byt second year may be anothr ocean way.Two masts, one boat from six boats, one angelship - it is too much for race. Is it a joke? And the problem is not for the teams, they play very well. Pleace think more to make better. I like this race and i want to see it better.
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