Pirate threat to Volvo crews in world race

A skull and crossbones, a host of Olympic and America's Cup sailors and boats with increased horsepower make the ninth Volvo round-the-world race the most exciting yet. Lighter, faster and stronger, the new state-of-the-art Volvo Open 70 boats promise over seven months of on-the-edge sailing.

Beginning in Vigo, northern Spain on November 12, seven teams will negotiate four oceans, five continents and nearly 32,000 miles before crossing the finishing line in Gothenburg, Sweden on June 17 next year.

There are stopovers in Cape Town, Melbourne, Wellington, Rio de Janeiro, Baltimore, New York, Portsmouth and Rotterdam and for the first time the event will feature short "in-port" races which will contribute 22 per cent to the overall score.

The huge leap in horsepower from four years ago was emphasised when Spain's Movistar entry set a 24-hour record of 530 miles, an average of 22.09 knots, on passage from her builders in Australia.

According to race director Glenn Bourke, the VO 70 boats should complete the course 21 days quicker than their predecessors, the VO 60s.

The race is guaranteed a colourful profile and the prospect of spotting a Hollywood star or two with the Pirates of the Caribbean entry, the result of a marketing deal between the film's creators Walt Disney Co and Volvo.

Skipper Paul Cayard knows what it takes to win having led EF Language to win the 1997-98 Round the World Race - the first American skipper to do so - and says the Pirate entry can challenge for victory.

"I believe we can win. It won't be easy and we probably won't look like winners right off the bat," he said.

"Movistar and ABN AMRO both have an obvious advantage in terms of time in their boats. They should be very strong at the start."

The Ericsson Racing Team have been boosted by the capture of John Kostecki, who skippered Illbruck to win the 2001-02 Ocean Race.

American Kostecki, who left the BMW Oracle America's Cup challenge to join Ericsson, will act as tactician for the in-port races.

Kostecki joins an experienced team headed by Neil McDonald. The Briton took over skipper's duties on the ASSA ABLOY boat on the second leg four years ago and gave Kostecki and Illbruck a run for their money.

McDonald says the new Volvo Open 70 boats make the race the most challenging yet.

"The Volvo Open 70 is a physically more demanding boat and technically more complicated, there will be some new skills required to get the best out of them," he said.

"We have a whole new rule book to learn as to how hard to push these boats and how hard to push the people that are sailing them."

Brasil 1 will be skippered by renowned Olympian Torben Grael who made Games history in Athens last year by becoming the first sailor to win five medals when, along with team-mate Marcelo Ferreira, they won gold in the Star class.

In a marked contrast to the 2001-02 race which featured an all-female crew on Amer Sports Two, this time there will be just one woman sailor - Australian Adrienne Cahalan who will navigate for Brasil 1.

Cahalan is the fastest Australian to circumnavigate the world and the only woman to be part of a crew who broke the non-stop round the world record in 2004 onboard the 125ft maxi catamaran Cheyenne.

Entries (skipper in brackets)

ABN AMRO ONE (Mike Sanderson, NZ)
ABN AMRO TWO (Sebastien Josse, FRA)
Brasil 1 (Torben Grael, BRA)
Ericsson Racing Team (Neal McDonald, UK)
Movistar (Bouwe Bekking, HOL)
Pirates of the Caribbean (Paul Cayard, US)
Premier Challenge (Grant Wharington, AUS)