HOTLINK - PUMA’s Amory Ross has been awarded the Inmarsat Media Crew Member Award for Leg 3 after another outstanding set of work from Ken Read’s boat.

Ross’s work with the PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG team first came to the Award judges’ attention in Leg 1 as he captured the amazing story of his crew’s unscheduled trip to the remote island of Tristan da Cunha in the mid-Atlantic.
The boat had to take refuge there after breaking her mast but Ross made the most of the situation with a string of superb video diaries, one of which was later used on the top American TV programme, The Today Show.

His work on Leg 3 included a live interview with UK Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts and the EU’s Vice President of the European Commission, Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry, Antonio Tajani.

“British satellite technology is enabling one of the world’s most exciting yachting events to be broadcast globally to millions of smartphones and computers,” said Willetts. “This is testament to the continued success of the UK space industry and innovative companies like Inmarsat.” MORE STORY

HOTLINK- Volvo Ocean Race meteorologist Gonzalo Infante says the next 12 hours could be key to determining the eventual Leg 3 winner and will give a clear indication whether or not the bold easterly move by Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg will pay off.
Tonight the VOR fleet are facing 25 knot winds and steep waves, testing both the crews and their boats as they close on the Vietnam coast.

 
Puma were a distant third when they split from the fleet to head east, but Infante says based on the latest data they now stand a better than average chance of getting themselves right back in the fight to win the second stage of Leg 3. ‘They are beginning to look strong,’ Infante said. ‘But there is risk as well. Their position to the east of the fleet means they will benefit from the expected right shift in the wind and they will avoid the worst of the adverse current along the Vietnamese coast.  ‘However, they will have to pass through an area called ‘Dangerous Ground’ with uncharted rocks and other obstacles to negotiate. It’s risk and reward but it could pay off for them.’

 
Latest weather forecasts suggest the strong winds forecast for tonight may only reach 25 rather than 35 knots, but with waves up to four metres Infante says the teams will still have their hands full to slow their boats down and avoid any major damage.
‘The crews start depowering the boats in 17 knots of breeze and anything more does not make them go any faster and increases the risk of damage,’ he said.

 
Infante also said Puma could gain from avoiding the backbreaking work of continually tacking along Vietnam’s coast which leaders Team Telefónica, second placed Groupama sailing team, third placed Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand and fourth placed Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing will have to endure on their way to Sanya. ‘Tonight will be an important one,’ Infante said. ‘In the morning we will start to see which side is paying.’ MORE