Press release from the Race Organisers 12 October 2008

With just over a month to go to the start of the Portimão Global Ocean Race things are starting to get a bit hectic for race officials and competitors alike. The first boat has arrived in Portimão well in advance of the mandated arrival date of September 30. Lenjon van der Wel and crew John Mackay arrived in Portugal after a long and at times trying passage from the Bahamas. “A 27 day trip with only 13 days of wind is absolutely mind blowing,” Lenjon said after tying up at the Marina de Portimão.  “And to make it worse we had engine problems but luckily we were able to shut it down and find the problem - water in the fuel.” The team made an unscheduled stop in the Azores to pick up fuel and some fresh food but feeling a pressing need to get to Portugal they declined even a cold beer at  one of the most famous watering spots for sailors; Pete’s Cafe Sport in Horta. Instead with fresh food on board, full diesel tanks and a fair breeze they set a course for Portimão. The next time “Ocean Warrior” will pass The Azores will be on the final leg of The Portimao Global Ocean Race – there will be no time to stop for a beer then either!

While van der Wel and Mackay were safely tied up in Portugal, the Chilean team of Felipe Cubillos and Jose Munoz were heading out into the Atlantic on their qualifying sail.  Their brand new Verdier designed Class 40 needed to be put through its paces and Cubillos and Munoz were in search of strong winds.  “We really want to put this boat to the test before we head for Portimão,” said Cubillos before leaving the port city of Lorient. “We can come back to the boat yard afterwards and fix anything we have broken but once we get to Portugal I want this boat to be in perfect condition for the race.” This stunning Class 40, adorned with graphics depicting paintings found in caves around Tierra del Fuego, is one of the newest generation Class 40’s with a generous sail plan and kick-up rudders and is sure to be one of the contenders for the top spot.

The Chilean team sailed a thousand miles out into the Atlantic before turning back in a qualifier that really put their boat through its paces. Back in France they conducted their 180 degree rollover test to ensure that they could re-right the boat in the event it capsizes. While the rollover test is not mandatory for the Portimão Global Ocean Race, it is always a good exercise.

In Northern Europe Boris Herrmann and his co-skipper Feix Oehme are fulfilling sponsor commitments in Germany while their boat, Beluga Racer, is in France getting the final Category 0 modifications.

In Belgium Michel Kleinjans has been testing new sails aboard Roaring Forty and working with the Portimão Global Ocean Race film crew to gather television footage for the planned TV series.

It is a similar story with Nico Budel in Holland.  His Open 40, Hayai, is rigged and ready for the race. Budel has added a hard protective cabin over a portion of the cockpit that will allow him to work the deck without getting soaked – in much the same way that modern Open 60 design has evolved. Much more thought goes into onboard ergonomics these days – a dry, happy sailor is a fast sailor!

The Ambition racing team have been hard at work in Gosport on England’s south coast. A port steeped in Naval history, the team peer across the water to Nelson’s HMS Victory whenever they have time to stand and gaze. They are also at the heart of the British Open 60 circuit  and indeed have been out sailing on Hugo Boss and Pindar. In fact Hugo Boss skipper Alex Thomson has taken Jeremy and Victoria under his wing somewhat and has been kindly helping them to understand some of the finer points of electronic navigation and weather routing. A truly inspiring place to be. Ambition Racing have secured the services of David Thomson as their boat manager – David has worked and sailed on numerous round the world boats including Playstation, Hugo Boss and Spirit of Yukoh and brings an extra dimension to this awe-inspiring project.

Our eclectic fleet of sailors do not know each other well yet – that process will start in a few weeks time in Portimao. However, they are currently joined by the common bond of preparing their yacht’s and themselves to take on the enormous challenge of racing a yacht around the planet in the Portimão Global Ocean Race – bring it on!

Press release issued by the Race Organisers : 23 January 2008

It was with a certain amount of dismay that Jeremy Salvesen and Victoria Sanders-Perrin heard the news that Chay’s Blyth’s trailblazing around-the-world race, the Global Challenge, was headed for liquidation. Salvesen and Sanders-Perrin, both UK based sailors, had staked their dreams of a circumnavigation on the event and suddenly the rug was pulled from under them. New to sailing, in fact both only started sailing in August 2005 when they first signed up to do the Global Challenge, the duo were rudderless, so to speak. The sailing bug had bitten and bitten hard and the prospect of returning to a ‘real’ job was a hard pill top swallow. As luck would have it the idea of a new around-the-world race, one for both aspiring amateurs and professional sailors was taking root. The blueprint for the Portimão Global Ocean Race had just been announced and two were intrigued; was it remotely possible that two people, amateur sailors, from different backgrounds, having only recently met, could race around the world together? They were about to find and an exploratory email was sent to Race Director Josh Hall.

“I got an email from Jeremy,” explained Hall. “In it he outlined his plans for a Class 40 entry in our new race. I was keen to meet them and we agreed to meet in Cowes during Cowes Week. Clearly I was concerned about their lack of offshore experience, but equally, our event had been created for just such a team. We talked for a bit and by the end of the meeting I knew that we not only had another entry in the race, but a very interesting one at that.”

Salvesen and Sanders-Perrin may be new to sailing but they are not without qualifications. They had already undergone Blyth’s rigourous training for the Global Challenge and taken the Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster theory and practical exams, as well as competing in several inshore and offshore races. Furthermore that had that one key ingredient needed for a tough race around the world; grit and ambition and so Ambition Racing it became, the foundation for their entry in the Portimão Global Ocean Race.

“We were both inspired by each others dreams,” Salvesen said of his partnership with Victoria. “She has the drive to make this a competitive entry and I feel the same so naturally we joined forces and now it’s a case of be careful what you wish for...”  The team have their eyes set on a number of used, shall we say tested, Class 40’s and could well close a deal on a Marc Lombard designed Akilaria 40 within a month. “We know that we need time in the boat,” Victoria said. “We had originally planned on buying a new Express 40, but for us as relative amateurs, especially to short-handed sailing, we thought it best to get a boat soon and get out training.”

So if you are in the Solent this spring, or perhaps in the waters off Portugal and see a boat flying by with two people on board with grins as wide as saucers, say hello and wish them well, they have a big task ahead of them but one they are looking forward to and one that will forever change their lives.