Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Video: Groupama 70 arrives in Alicante

If you ever had the slightest doubt Groupama was the favorite team to win the next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race just watch the video, even if it's in French. While Franck Cammas is in Saint Malo, getting ready for the start of the Route du Rhum - La Banque Postale onboard Groupama 3, the team's VO70 yacht arrived in Alicante on Sunday.

The 11 crew, including a media crew member and a journalist, left their home base in Lorient last Monday afternoon. The trip took six days due to the weather conditions along the Portuguese coast and the yacht finally reached the Spanish port on Sunday morning. As one would have expected, the purpose of the trip was to train and try the boat but not only! According to navigator Jean-Luc Nélias, the shore crew was also rehearsing for the round-the-world race, as they need to "practice the logistics and technical part of the team as well as the planning and procedures with the crew and shore team", because they "don't have everything under control yet."!!

With only four entries officially announced so far, the French team is certainly ahead in terms of preparation and according to Nélias, "one month from now we will be focusing on our new boat for the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race and on the Groupama 70 project." The Groupama team will return to Alicante in mid-November and then on to Puerto Calero to continue with their preparations, just like Ericsson did 2 years ago.

Groupama 70

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3 Comments:

At 4:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Any rumours as to the origin of the confirmed but confidential double entry for the VOR? Could this be Alinghi? This certainly would be the kind of refreshing challenge/adventure that EB could be interested in...

 
At 5:03 PM, Blogger WetHog said...

A 2nd place finish for Puma Racing last go around doesn't put them up there with the favorites? I am a Groupama fan, but don't snooze on Puma.

 
At 12:51 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

the two confidential entries must be telefonica and a swedish? southafrican? another spanish boat? italia70 is not even in the photo no more. come on boys, start rounding up the dollars and join the vor!

 

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