A race of extremes

No round-the-world race can begin without a major measurement scare and someone bolting together their boat on the way to the start. The start of the 2005/6 Volvo Ocean Race had it all. Tim Jeffery, Rob Mundle and Killian Bushe

Advantage JK
John Kostecki won the previous Volvo Ocean Race at a canter on illbruck from Neal McDonald on Assa Abloy. Four years on and the Briton asked the American aboard Ericsson as Œinshore consultantı, and the Swedish yacht went out and won the first ever in-port race.

It put the first 3.5pt out of 112 on the board for Ericsson. McDonald wasnıt claiming it as the defining moment of the eight-month, nine-leg race, Œbut weıll take itı, said the Briton with a grin.

Ericsson won, more or less, because Kostecki called left and the others didnıt. Tim Powell steered the blue and orange boat down to the pin and into a long starboard tack into a building breeze. When Ericsson tacked back she was miles in front. She was never headed.

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