Crew Changes on ABN Amro Two
For the second time in this race, TEAM ABN AMRO have realised the full force and strength of the extreme Volvo 70 class. Today ABN AMRO TWO confirmed two crew changes for both the Rio de Janeiro in port race and Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, due to crew injuries sustained on previous legs.
Nick Bice, 28, watch captain and one of the original four ‘professionals’ aboard ABN AMRO TWO sustained a broken hand during the last leg from Wellington to Rio de Janeiro. Speaking about the injury soon after it happened, Bice commented: “I was thrown into the steering pedestal and my hand came off second best so it’s a bit swollen, not sure what’s wrong with it but I think it could be broken. On the back of another wave I ended up with both feet through the wheel and sitting on the trimmer’s box back there - that’s probably the nearest I’ve come to coming adrift on a boat.” Following treatment ashore Nick was told two bones in his left hand were broken and he is now in a plaster cast. He will be replaced until Baltimore by Yves Leblevec, a French Figaro sailor and world record holder with maxi catamaran - Orange II.
Gerd Jan Poortman, upon visiting a specialist in the Netherlands, was diagnosed with a fractured vertebrae, sustained when he was thrown down the deck and collided with the daggerboard during a rough night on leg 3. Poortman missed the last leg from Wellington to Rio and is now expected to rejoin the crew of the world’s fastest monohull in Baltimore, a little later than previously anticipated. Lucas Brun, 22, from Brazil, who was the first Brazilian to sail into home soil and the youngest competitor on this race remains onboard ABN AMRO TWO in Poortman’s place. As the crew still have a vacant 11th man position for the in port race, on Saturday 25th March Neil Cox, TEAM ABN AMRO’s boat captain will take up the final place on board.
Sebastien Josse commented: “Of course it is always a disappointment to lose crew due to injuries, both Gerd Jan and more recently Nick are critical members of the team but this is sailing. Lucas was a great person to have onboard for the last leg so we are pleased he will be sailing with us again and I have no doubt Yves will fit into the team no problem. For the in shore race we have Neil Cox who has been a very important part of the team and the TEAM ABN AMRO campaign so I am happy he will be with us – he knows these boats so well. We are now all looking forward to the in shore race and working hard to keep getting points on the score board. It should be a good race but we are ready for the challenge.”
The last two legs of the race have taken their toll on the young crew, now over halfway round the world. Battling with damage to both their boat and the crew themselves, ABN AMRO TWO had a tussle into Rio with local heroes Brasil 1 but they managed to hold them off and gain a well earned third place.
ABN AMRO ONE is once again joined by Brian MacInnes, in port grinding specialist and Tomasso Chieffi, tactician who have both been onboard for the last two in port races.
Final crew list:
ABN AMRO ONE
Mike Sanderson
Tomasso Chieffi (in port race only)
Stan Honey
Brad Jackson
Dave Endean
Jan Dekker
Sidney Gavignet
Justin Slattery
Rob Greenhalgh
Tony Mutter
Brian MacInnes (in port race only)
Mark Christensen (Leg 5 Rio – Baltimore)
ABN AMRO TWO:
Sebastien Josse
Simon Fisher
Andrew Lewis
George Peet
Neil Cox (in port race only)
Yves Leblevec
Simeon Tienpont
Hans Horreveots
Lucas Brun
Luke Molloy
Scott Beavis
| This entry was posted on Thursday, March 23rd, 2006 at 9:21 am and is filed under Main Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |
