KOCHI: Covering more than 37,000 miles and visiting 11 ports in 10 countries in five continents, the Volvo Ocean Race concluded at St Petersburg in Russia on Saturday. The 445-nautical miles distance from Stockholm to St Petersburg was the final leg of the premier yachting race.
Ericsson 4 (E4), skippered by Brazil’s two-time Olympic champion Torben Grael, emerged as the winner by completing the race in 127 days, seven hours, 46 minutes and 21 seconds. Grael and his men had ensured victory on June 15 itself, at the end of the ninth stage from Marstrand in Sweden to Stockholm.
E4 was the winner in the second leg - Cape Town-Kochi. The 10-day India stopover of the race at the Cochin Port in December was a new experience for the people of Kerala. The Cochin Port and its premises were in a festive mood for 10 days. There were cultural programmes by noted artists every evening on all these days.
While leaving Kochi after the stopover, the organisers of the race said that they had never received such warm reception elsewhere.
Puma Ocean Racing is in the second place while Telefonica Blue maintained the third place, followed by Ericsson 3, Green Dragon, Telefonica Black, Delta Lloyd and Team Russia.
It was the re-entry of Team Russia, which stopped racing after three legs owing to financial reasons, which made for a bittersweet ending.
Team Russia had suspended racing in Singapore at the end of leg three due to lack of funds. They came back to the race after a change in management and crew.
The Volvo race began in the Spanish Mediterranean port of Alicante in October 2008. The next edition, which starts in Alicante, will be held in 2011-12.