A Top Performance by Hugo Boss in Velux 5 Oceans Prologue Race PDF Print E-mail
Copyright onEdition 2006Alex Thomson (GBR) today put in a superb performance onboard his Open 60 HUGO BOSS in the VELUX 5 Oceans in-port race in the Bay of Biscay, Spain. Sailing with a full crew, including Andrew Cape (AUS) - Thomson’s co-skipper for the Barcelona World Race as navigator - HUGO BOSS stole the show, storming the course to approach the finish line streaks ahead of the rest of the fleet. However, Thomson forfeited his victory when he chose not to cross the finish line for superstitious reasons, allowing Mike Golding’s Ecover (GBR) to take first place, followed by Bernard Stamm’s Cheminée Poujoulat (FRE) in second.

The race started out in light winds with HUGO BOSS and Cheminée Poujoulat, leading off the start line. Cheminée Poujoulat was first to the top mark, but a course error by the Frenchman at the leeward mark allowed HUGO BOSS to get in front. From then on she stretched her legs to blitz the course with a comfortable lead.

“Obviously I take any kind of racing very seriously, including this in-port race,” says Thomson, “but sailors are very superstitious and there is a folklore that says that no skipper who has won the prologue race has gone on to win the main event in which he is competing. Therefore, I knew in my heart even before the race started, that if we came to the finish and we were in first place then we would not complete the race.”

After putting in a faultless performance Thomson passed the wrong side of the committee boat at the finish line.

“We were really happy with our performance,” says Thomson. “It was great to see HUGO BOSS perform so well in conditions that she never used to be strong in. We have spent a lot of time and money to put this boat in the condition she is in now and it seems to have paid off. It was the weakest point of sail for her, but when the wind gets up she really starts to fly. I am very excited and really looking forward to the start of the race.”

The solo VELUX 5 Oceans race will start in just eight days time on 22 October, from Bilbao, in the Basque region of Spain.

Related Items:

  1. The Ultimate Solo Challenge Begins
  2. Alex Thomson (GBR) to team up with Andrew Cape (AUS) in Barcelona World Race 2007
  3. Mike Golding Retires From the Velux 5 Oceans
  4. British Solo Sailors Finally Reach Cape Town Aboard ECOVER
  5. Weather Router Jean-Yves Bernot (FRA) preps Alex Thomson (GBR) for VELUX 5 Oceans
  6. Gear Failure Forces Thomson (GBR) to Head to Shore in Velux 5 Oceans
  7. Bernard Stamm Takes Victory Honours in Fremantle
  8. Place Changing Opportunities Lie Ahead for Thomson
  9. Amazing Story of Mike Golding and Alex Thomson in the Velux 5 Oceans
  10. First Night Dramas for Velux 5 Oceans Fleet
 
Tag it:
Delicious
Furl it!
Spurl
blogmarks
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Blinkbits
feedmelinks
LinkaGoGo
Ma.gnolia
Netvouz
RawSugar
Scuttle
Shadows
Simpy
Stumble
TailRank
?

Translate the page into your own language
French Italian German Spanish Japanese Korean Chinese (Simplified)
Click on the flag above to select

Advertisement
© 2008 Gone Sailing
Joomla! is Free Software released under the GNU/GPL License.