Main Content
Teams
Groupama sailing team
French offshore legend Franck Cammas and his long-term sponsor Groupama will compete in the next two editions of the Race in a boat designed by two-time race winner Juan Kouyoumdjian.
Visit the team website cammas-groupama.com
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22 Feb 2012
Telefónica is new leader as fleet leaves Luzon Strait
CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand led the fleet through the Luzon Strait, passing within a mile of the lighthouse marking the southern tip of Taiwan at 1830 UTC tonight. Groupama 4) and Telefónica…

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21 Feb 2012
Critical times ahead
After a long starboard leg towards the southern tip of Taiwan, there has been something of a tacking frenzy between 1600 and 2200 GMT, when all but PUMA’s Mar Mostro tacked onto port, followed…

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21 Feb 2012
Tactical minefield could force radical options
The skippers and navigators are facing a tactical minefield in the South China Sea after moderating breezes left behind a horribly confused sea state on the third day of the second stage of Leg 4.

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21 Feb 2012
Riding the mechanical bull
The hammering continues for the six Volvo Ocean Race teams as they punch east through conditions likened to “riding a mechanical bull”.

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20 Feb 2012
Slow start as fleet brace for tough conditions ahead
Overall leaders Team Telefónica slowly led the fleet out of Sanya on the Leg 4 pursuit race to Auckland early on Monday and into what is expected to be hugely challenging conditions and testing…

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20 Feb 2012
CAMPER become leader of the pack
After tacking north around midday today, at 2200 UTC tonight Chris Nicholson and CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand were the leaders of the pack as Volvo fleet bashes upwind across the South China…

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20 Feb 2012
Sickness and slamming take their toll
Sea sickness and waves as high as five metres are making life difficult for all six teams on the first day of the second stage of Leg 4 from Sanya to Auckland.

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19 Feb 2012
Chasing two seek Stage 1 advantage
Telefónica’s chief rivals CAMPER and Groupama are in the hunt for what they believe could be a decisive edge in the first stage of Leg 4 today.

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18 Feb 2012
Telefónica seal victory in Sanya showdown
Team Telefónica continued their domination of the Volvo Ocean Race today as they edged out a victory in the Sanya Haitang In-Port Race, narrowly beating PUMA Ocean Racing to claim a maximum six points.

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17 Feb 2012
Perfect conditions as Telefónica defend lead
Overall leaders Team Telefónica are relishing the prospect of near-perfect conditions as racing resumes with the Sanya Haitang Bay In-Port Race (starting 0600 UTC).

Secondary Content
Crew
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Skipper
Franck Cammas
Onboard
France Franck Cammas
SkipperDate of Birth: 22/12/1972A talented sailor and a formidable competitor, Cammas is in his first Volvo Ocean Race but has a long record of offshore success in other events. In 73 races on Groupama boats, Cammas has racked up 60 podiums and 33 victories. A sports fanatic, he swapped boat for bike just before the race to take part in L’Étape du Tour, climbing the infamous Alpe d’Huez in impressive style.
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Brad Marsh
New Zealand Brad Marsh
BowmanDate of Birth: 03/09/1983Got his first contact with the race as shore crew for Ericsson in 2008-09 and joined Groupama after delivering Ericsson 4 to them as their training boat. Previously a member of the Emirates Team New Zealand sailing squad for the 2006-07 Louis Vuitton Series in New Zealand.
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Charles Caudrelier
France Charles Caudrelier
Helmsman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 26/02/1974Caudrelier trained as an officer in the merchant navy and learned to sail by dead reckoning. Although competing in his first Volvo Ocean Race, he has an enviable trophy haul including wins in the 2004 Solitaire du Figaro, the 2009 Transat Jacques Vabre and the 2010 Tour of Spain.
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Damian Foxall
Ireland Damian Foxall
Helmsman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 07/03/1969- 3 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
Irishman Foxall is a fluent French speaker, based in Lorient, and brings a wealth of offshore experience to the team. Won the Barcelona World Race in 2007-08 and previously competed in the Volvo on Tyco in 2001-02 finishing fourth, Ericsson 2005-06 finishing fifth and Green Dragon in 2008-09 finishing fifth.
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Erwan Israël
France Erwan Israël
Helmsman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 14/10/1980Making his Volvo Ocean race debut, Israel brings a diverse range of top flight experience including match racing, Tour de France, Louis Vuitton Series and Solitaire du Figaro. Sailed in the first leg before being replaced by Pages in Leg 2.
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Jean-Luc Nélias
France Jean-Luc Nélias
NavigatorDate of Birth: 08/06/1962- 1 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
A veteran of many offshore campaigns, Nélias previously competed in the Volvo Ocean Race in 2009-10 with Green Dragon, taking part in the Stockholm In-Port Race and on leg 10 from Stockholm to St. Petersburg.
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Martin Krite
Sweden Martin Krite
Bowman / Boat CaptainDate of Birth: 08/12/1980- 1 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
Krite is a priest as well as sailor, under-30 and member of the Ikea watch. Another veteran of the Ericsson 3 team that finished fourth last time, Krite also competed in the 2007 America’s Cup as part of the Swedish Victory Challenge.
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Martin Strömberg
Sweden Martin Strömberg
Helmsman / Trimmer / PitmanDate of Birth: 03/04/1982- 1 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
Part of the Ericsson 3 crew which finished fourth in the 2008-09 race, Stromberg was also a member of BMW Oracle Racing’s sail-making team at the 2006-07 America’s Cup. When on board alongside fellow Swede Martin Krite, fellow crew members refer to them as the Ikea watch.
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Phil Harmer
Australia Phil Harmer
Helmsman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 26/06/1979- 2 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
A master sailmaker, Harmer sailed with Brunel in the 2005-06 race finishing seventh and on Green Dragon in the 2008-09 race finishing fifth. Harmer was based in the UK but the change of focus has brought a lot of benefits, he says, including cheese, coffee and the chance to learn a new language.
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Thomas Coville
France Thomas Coville
Helmsman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 10/05/1968- 1 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
One of the biggest names in offshore racing, Coville won the Jules Verne Trophy in 2010 and the 1999 Transat Jacques Vabre. He also twice represented his country at the America’s Cup. Has Volvo Ocean Race experience dating back to 2001-02, when he sailed with Knut Frostad on djuice.
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Yann Riou
France Yann Riou
Media Crew MemberDate of Birth: 20/02/1974Making his Volvo Ocean Race debut, Riou is an accomplished offshore sailor in his own right and won the Mini Fastnet in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Was nominated for the Inmarsat MCM award for his work documenting the first leg.
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Bruno Jeanjean
France Bruno Jeanjean
Reserve Navigator / BowmanDate of Birth: 02/08/1962 -
Jacques Caraës
France Jacques Caraës
Media Crew Member 2Date of Birth: 11/12/2011The most senior member of the crew, Jacques holds the Jules Verne Trophy with Groupama, and also competed in the Whitbread with Eric Tabarly in 1993.
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Laurent Pages
France Laurent Pages
Helmsman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 20/10/1976- 1 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
Gained Volvo Ocean Race experience on board Telefónica Blue in 2008-09 and joined the current campaign to take charge of the sail programme. Sat out Leg 1 but was named as part of the sailing team for Leg 2.
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Sébastien Marsset
France Sébastien Marsset
Pitman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 15/12/1984






