For the crew of Ericsson Racing Team, leg four has not been the happiest and today’s result will be one they would rather forget.

Skipper Neal McDonald (UK) commented, “It’s great to finally be here. It was long leg and physiologically very difficult. We are not pleased with the result but we are very pleased to be here in one piece without to many catastrophes. We are not enjoying being behind and we will just have to try and improve in the future. There is still a long way to go and it feels like we have done all the hard work and I know from experience that there is still a long way to go in this race. We’ve been through the toughest legs and now it’s time to make up the points.”

Magnus Woxen added on the dock, “This leg was mentally very tough as well as physically, as you hammer the boat through big Southern Ocean waves. It’s an unbelievable experience when you are jumping and flying off waves. You hear bangs and hope that it doesn’t mean anything but it is one hell of a ride! It’s a question of knowing how hard to push the boat and we are still learning.”

Ericsson Racing Team arrived in Rio de Janeiro today in fifth place at 1912 GMT after 20 days, 17 hours and 42 minutes at sea. The story of their leg is one of immense frustration. On day four, they blew out a spinnaker, which took 36 hours to repair. The lack of this crucial sail prevented the team from sailing where they wanted to and the three boats to the south slipped away into more breeze. On day nine, 27 February, the boat did a spectacular Chinese gybe. Luckily no one was hurt and no gear was damaged. In a situation like this, they were very lucky not to break their mast. The team was back up to speed again in a few hours, but it again cost them precious miles.

In the approach to Cape Horn, there was a glimmer of hope that Ericsson might be able to pass ABN AMRO TWO. The team set their biggest spinnaker at first light in their attempt to overtake. Pushing hard until about 120 miles short of Cape Horn itself, the sea state was so unfriendly that the spinnaker was dropped. More drama followed shortly thereafter when, in the mountainous seas, their battery bank broke free and began to short on some carbon structure, starting a resin fire. Smoke and flames were beginning to show and the team quickly levered the whole bank away from the carbon, solving the immediate problem, and it was back to business.

Leaving Cape Horn and the Falkland Islands behind them, the team was obsessed with their strategy to the finish. They were at the back of the fleet and desperate to make gains, claiming that they would happily stay at sea for another four weeks if it could mean a better result. It was not to be.

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