Stockholm Inport Race: Following Along

Stockholm has been a beautiful host to the Volvo Ocean Race, however, there's a lot too it and nothing is quite simple. Take for example the venture we all embarked on to greet the teams: nearly 3 hour ferry ride to an island. Today, it was/is a slog of a motor for the teams and media, a bus ride to catch the boat. Though an amazing day, the wind forecast is light.

Folks, have to say, the armchair spectator may have the best seat in the house. You know you can fetch a bite to eat or a cup of tea and guaranteed working head in short distance. Though, there is real spirit here and the crowds expected are anticipated to rival those of the Sprint Race into town. Now, that will be a site. Those photographers in the air have in past captured the impressive number of people who've come out to experience the Volvo Ocean Race and anticipate their shots to take our breathe away later today.


Rick Tomlinson/Volvo Ocean Race.
The City Sprint from Sandhamn, the finish line of leg 9, to the city of Stockholm

Taking bit of a back-seat experience this go around, making use of all the media outlets Stockholm Stop-over Team has made available for us. It will be hard to miss a sailor sneeze, let alone a key moment in the race and quite excited to know I have a lovely toilet to count on!!

• Live Race Blog w/ Volvo Book Author Mark Chisnell and Writer Peter Rusch
• Live Commentary

Post-Race Wrap-up:

It's a reflection back to yesterday's post on Telefonica Blue taking the cake for perseverance as they came from behind and got the job done during today's final in-port race of the event. The story could not have been scripted better. As you followed, it seemed after the first race Puma secured their placement on the podium, but no. Mathematically, the race for second is still on and sincerely not determined till the final leg. A much better story anyways! Can't wait for Mark Chisnell to get back in...some final tweaks to the book are yet to come.

Photos Of The Boats Arrivals Back Into Stockholm:

Award For Perseverance: Telefonica Blue Take The Cake!

Yesterday, we all waited patiently as the Telefonica media gals shared reports of Telefonica Blue's progress to all in the media center. Generally, everyone wanted to ensure they had a proper greeting at the docks. Regardless of the incident and the opinions of those at home watching, who's not hit a "rock" in their life? Whether that be literally or metaphorically.

So they landed on the rocks, who cares, it's how they got themselves off the darn thing, pieced the boat back together, which honestly should have been destroyed, and sailed on to Stockholm. Here they are, showing true perseverance and setting an amazing example to anyone who's had something drastic occur and how not to let it stand in your way.





It's really quite impressive how mangled the keel bulb was and in such short time they made it right (at least as right as they could - looking at it you'd never know!)

Spectacular Sprint To Stockholm

A half million people?!?! Maybe not in the photo below. A shot of those gathered around the large screens displaying live footage of the Sprint race from Sandham to Stockholm. However, when they tallied Race Village attendance, on-the-water spectators and those who lined the shores for a glimpse of these impressive boats; it was figured, a half million all right!

Getting around was bit of a task! Taking pictures, nearly impossible. Trying to do both while enjoying a hot cup of tea- not advisable! Though, I did manage and while waiting for the fleet to come into shore-side viewing distance, battled the people and enjoyed the scene.



Shore-side spectators enjoyed live commentary (this impressive stage is perched on a floating barge!)



The mini-Puma City is also sticking to a floating theme, in fact, many elements of the Race Village are built on-top of barges. Including Ericsson and Telefonica Wet-base areas.





Eventually, the call came and the cattle drive to all viewable points commenced! Thank goodness for a "backstage pass" and a quiet perch away from the crowds to watch the "on-the-water-circus" arrive into town. For the crowds who lined the shore, it was a "tippy-toe" affair to catch a glimpse of it all.





Ericsson 3 made a perfect show of winning the Sprint and initiated a crowd response one surely must of heard all the way back to Sandham!



Later in the day Magnus and crew attempted a "rocket" number, though their high leg kicks could use some work! No matter, it was wonderful to see and feel his enthusiasm for their Second place finish during the Prize Giving. He has the most impressive smile, even when buried deep in the crowd spectating.



It was truly a spectacular day in Stockholm. We are currently experiencing some less then lovely weather but spirits are high. Everyone seems a bit more rested. All are excited to know Telefonica Blue are on their way and preparations and details getting sorted for Sunday's in port race. After having a hand in the on-the-water logistics and dealing with "spectator exclusion zones," then witnessing the madness of both the arrivals and Sprint Race. I believe the team(s), logisitcs and sailing, will have their work cut out for them!

There's been a break in the rain, time to get out of this media center!!!

Nearly There: Volvo Ocean Race Stockholm

The Volvo Ocean Race "circus" is nearly done with it's global tour. Currently there is not enough coffee or hours in the day to keep pace as it feels someone has hit the fast forward button. Fast forward seems the theme, since arriving into Sweden it's been the most intense sailing-related trip to date. Just when I've sorted out the public transportation system of Gothenburg to Marstrand (it makes getting around Boston seem like child's play;) I'm packing up for a road trip to Stockholm.



We did not get on the road till nearly 10:00pm Sunday evening, however with the long days it felt like 5:00pm till when we finally rolled into Stockholm at 4:00am Monday morning when it looked and felt more like 6:00am...are you still with me? Basically drove through the night, though the "night" is about two hours long.

We sorted ourselves, selves being much of the media crew and made a bee-line to bed. The boats at this point were ripping it up and word was we needed to get sorted quickly as the ferry ride out to Sandham, a lovely Swedish island was nearly a 3 hour meander away.



So, we all took a nap, far from a sleep and a couple hours later, after discovering that the Stockholm Race Village could legally be mapped as a "small town" - it's massive, making Boston's Fan Pier seem nothing more than a street corner affair.



The old Pirate's of the Caribbean is on site, formally owned by Mean Machine's Peter DeRidder and now named the White il Mostro is quite striking.



As I got my legs and meander about the village, yet to see more than a quarter of the offerings, it's time to gather for the ferry ride to Sandham.



The ferry ride, though long, was AMAZING. The islands are gorgeous. The little homes perched about on the rocks - beautiful. Many of us found ourselves perched on the upper deck, bundled and huddled to stay warm, though unable to tear ourselves away from the view.



When we arrived into Sandham, we had about two hours before Puma and Ericsson 3 were expected to cross the line. This again kept the pace - quick, quick.



In fact, basically discovered the temporary media center, hit the head, checked email and headed out. When you are so focused, sleep, eating, etc. are all put on the back burner and the body goes into another mode, which I am just now coming out of two days later. Just part of the lifestyle and worth it. This has been an incredible venture made perfect with the spectacular finish between Puma and Ericsson 3.



There are no pictures to perfectly paint the insanity on the water as these two boats match raced all the way to the end. A Volvo 70 tacking dual, true test of the sailors endurance on such an impressive, powerful and exhausting boat. Now add in an impressive spectator fleet. They had to perform this impressive show of crew-work in the middle of it all. In the end, Puma prevailed as Ericsson 3's jib did not pass through cleanly during one tack, getting hung up on the radar mounted mid-way up the mast.

Would it have been lovely for the delightful Magnus Olsson and his E3 crew to take this leg, oh yes! What a party it would have been. However, Puma earned this leg win and was quite impressive and exciting.

Shortly after Puma and Ericsson 3 secured their lines, showered in champagne and endured the obligatory photo shoot; Ericsson 4 quietly slipped into port. Followed by the Green Dragon, Tele Black and Delta Lloyd. When the last boat was processed, media and sailors gathered for the ferry ride back into Stockholm. The shore-crews swapped their inland berths for the sailors while they stayed in Sandham to look after the boats and prepare for today's Sprint race into Stockholm.

We sailed back into Stockholm just before 5:00am and a repeat of the prior morning took place...straight to bed for a "nap" and back to work. I was joined on the ferry by Delta Lloyd's Wouter Verbraak, Nick Bice and Eduard van Lierde and found it quite impossible to fall asleep! Between the lovely rising sun, these boys where wide awake! Well, not Eduard, who had a serious case of the "snaps," poor chap!

The trouble was, they too had never been to this region of Sweden and with the dawn already upon us, the sites - beautiful.

The tale is longer than that, so merely a briefing on the last two days. A lovely way to reflect back and await the teams arrivals into port. Earlier this morning the shore-crews motored the boats part way, where they met the sailors and VIPs to participate in a sprint race for the final bit. A nice alternative since people could not enjoy the arrivals into Sandham.

More to come...