Photos: L ©2008 Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race R ©2008 onEdition

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Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:31:16 UTC

Team Russia have completed their first competitive outing, in Britain’s Round Island Race, as the crew’s learning curve on their Volvo Open 70 continues its upward path.

The Russian entry, Kosatka, was the second monohull home behind the all-conquering super-maxi ICAP Leopard in the 50-mile race around the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England.

A field of almost 1,800 boats faced the starter in Cowes under overcast skies, choppy seas and with winds reaching 20-25 knots around the course. Kosatka finished in an elapsed time of 04:19:02.

The overall performance of the Humphreys-designed Kosatka pleased skipper Andreas Hanakamp.

“The race was a great starting point for us and we're all very happy with a good day's work,” he said.

“In terms of out and out performance, it was pleasing that we were able to keep up with one of the super-maxis upwind.

“The boat was also quite impressive sailing downwind with the big kite up. We had absolutely no worries gybing in 25 knots downwind – you just need a lot of grinding power. But the boat has loads of control.

“For our first race it was very encouraging. We had a few minor problems with the daggerboards so we know we can get more performance out of the boat. With the boards, and in other areas, it’s just a case of refining our technique.

“We had the core team on board and we also had a couple more guys who are applying for positions plus someone who is interested in doing the in-shore racing with us. We have a group of very highly-motivated people and it's all about honing our team work.

“There is a parallel with the boat where we are happy with the potential. Now it’s a matter of exploiting and unleashing that potential to the full.”

Kosatka has now returned to the team’s training base in Portland Harbour, near Weymouth, the 2012 Olympic sailing site on the south coast of England.

According to Hanakamp, the team will continue an intensive training programme with a focus on sail development in the build-up to the 2008-09 race start in Alicante in October.

“Our plan for the next four months involves three things basically – sailing, sailing and sailing. The more hours we get on the water, the better we will be,” he said.

“It’s going to be a mix of standard day sailing and medium-range offshore trips. We have some offshore trips planned and we are also talking to other teams about meeting up in the middle of the Atlantic or somewhere closer to our base.

“Every time to step into a new class as a sailor, no matter how good you are, you have to clock your hours, spend your hours behind the wheel, behind the sails. We have to understand the boat better in a very natural way – that’s the process we are in at the moment.”

Line honours in the race went to the Team Origin’s Extreme 40 catamaran with former ABN AMRO ONE helmsman/trimmer Rob Greenhalgh at the controls. They finished in a time of 03:23.50.

Lewis Hamilton, the British Formula One driver, made an inauspicious start to his sailing career.

The McLaren-Mercedes pilot, no stranger to mishaps on race tracks this season after running into the back of Kimi Raikonen’s Ferrari in the pit lane at the French Grand Prix, was on board Alex Thompson’s Hugo Boss.

The IMOCA 60 had a coming together at the start with the Farr 45 Atomic which was dismasted and the bowsprit of Hugo Boss damaged.

Hugo Boss was subsequently disqualified – a situation Hamilton was familiar with after his indiscretion at Magny Cours.

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