Volvo Ocean Race story for children in The Hindu - Young World

A story from the viewpoint of children about Volvo Ocean Race, titled "Sea spray in your hair" was published in The Hindu's Young World (Kochi edition) dated December 23, 2008.

An overview: Volvo Ocean Race Cochin Stopover

The departure ceremony of Volvo Ocean Race is only six hours away. The 10-day long stopover (14 days for the first team, Ericsson 4 and Telefonica Blue; 13 days for Ericsson 3, Telefonica Black, Puma, Green Dragon and Delta Lyold & for Team Russia, exactly 10 days, who reached soon after the inauguration ceremony on December 3); will see its curtain fall as the teams will get an official flag off this noon.

The press release states a million people visited the stopover village - the kind of statistics, which alarms many others, and me though it's a fact there was a huge crowd in the past few days. It’s hard to believe the numbers touched a million! The projection was unrealistic even on the inauguration day, when it was announced 50,000 – 1,00,000 people attended the function. The queue to enter the ride, dome and Volvo Pavilion was long and the queue to the ride took as long as two hours to enter and experience the sailing effects.

Further, the press release states 100 stalls participated in the exhibition. The exhibition - Ocean Race Trade Fest was a major disappointment for the visitors as three-fourth of the pavilion was empty! And probably the total number of stalls must have been 25. The notable stall was of ISRO and the handicraft stall of Kudumbasree. There was a picture museum and to see the pictures kept inside, they charged Rs.5 per head.

The most crowded part was the food carnival, where people were flowing in to taste the dishes. Most of these food stalls offered expensive food, and a plate of fried rice or biriyani (the information was passed by many who attempted to buy a plate!) cost Rs.200. Though many backed out of because of the unrealistic pricing, the crowd was still high. Many others complained the area was so much packed that they couldn't even attempt to buy anything.

There's more to write, but it's time for me to head to the race village to witness the flag off and all the programmes planned for today.

Crew list for leg 3 (Cochin to Singapore) of Volvo Ocean Race

The crew list for leg 3 was released today.

DELTA LLOYD
1. Roberto Bérmudez de Castero/ESP – skipper
2. Matthew Gregory/USA - navigator
3. Sander Pluijm/NED -MCM
4. Stuart Wilson/NZL – watch captain
5. Ryan Houston/NZL – watch captain
6. Edwin O’Connor/IRL – trimmer
7. Martin Watts/GBR – trimmer
8. Peter Van Nierkerk/ NED – helmsman
9. Eduard van Lierde//NED – helmsman
10. Gerd-Jan Poortman/NED – bowman
11. Morgan White/AUS - bowman

No changes

ERICSSON 4
1. Torben Grael/BRA - skipper
2. Jules Salter/GBR - navigator
3. Guy Salter/GBR - MCM
4. Brad Jackson/NZL – watch captain
5. Stu Bannatyne/NZL – watch captain
6. Dave Endean/NZL - pitman
7. Horacio Carabelli/BRA - trimmer
8. Tony Mutter/NZL - trimmer
9. Joao Signorini/BRA - trimmer
10. Ryan Godfrey/AUS - bowman
11. Phil Jameson/NZL – bowman

No changes

ERICSSON 3
1. Anders Lewander/SWE - skipper
2. Aksel Magdahl/NOR - navigator
3. Gustav Morin/SWE MCM
4. Richard Mason/NZL - watch captain
5. Magnus Olsson/SWE – watch captain
6. Thomas Johanson/FIN - helmsman
7. Eivind Melleby/NOR – helmsman
8. Martin Strömberg/SWE – trimmer
9. Jens Dolmer/DEN - pitman
10. Anders Dahlsjö/SWE - mastman
11. Martin Krite/SWE - Bowman

No changes

GREEN DRAGON
1. Ian Walker/GBR - skipper
2. Steve Hayles/GBR - navigator
3. Guo Chuan/CHN - MCM
4. Damian Foxall/IRL – watch captain
5. Neal McDonald/GBR – watch captain
6. Anthony Merrington/AUS – helmsman/trimmer
7. Phil Harmer/AUS – helmsman/trimmer
8. James Carroll/AUS – pitman/trimmer
9. Andrew Mclean/NZL – pitman/trimmer
10.Freddie Shanks/GBR - bowman
11.Justin Slattery/IRL – bowman

ON: Steve Hayles/GBR – navigator
James Carroll/IRL – pitman
OFF: Ian Moore/IRL – navigator OFF
Tom Braidwood/AUS – pitman/trimmer


PUMA OCEAN RACING
1. Ken Read/USA - skipper
2. Andrew Cape/AUS - navigator
3. Rick Deppe/GBR MCM
4. Sidney Gavignet/FRA – watch captain
5. Chris Nicholson/AUS – watch captain
6. Robert Greenhalgh/GBR – helmsman/trimmer
7. Michael Müller/GER – helmsman/bowman
8. Rob Salthouse/NZL – helmsman/trimmer
9. Casey Smith/AUS – bowman
10. Shannon Falcone/ANT – trimmer/pitman
11. Justin Ferris/NZL – helmsman/trimmer

On: Robert Greenhalgh/GBR – helmsman/trimmer
Off: Robert Naismith/NZL – helmsman/trimmer


TEAM RUSSIA
1. Andreas Hanakamp/AUT - skipper
2. Wouter Verbraak/NED - navigator
3. Sergey Bogdanov/RUS - MCM
4. Stig Westergaard/DEN – watch captain
5. Nick Bubb/GBR – watch captain
6. Rodion Luka/UKR - helmsman
7. Jeremy Elliott/IRL - trimmer
8. Ben Costello/NZL - trimmer
9. Mike Joubert/RSA - bowman
10. Camron Wills/RSA – trimmer
11. Scott Gray/GBR – bowman/Pitman

On: Sergey Bogdanov/RUS - MCM
Scott Gray/GBR – bowman/Pitman

Off: Oleg Zherebtsov
Mark Covell/GBR – MCM

TELEFÓNICA BLUE
1. Bouwe Bekking/NED - skipper
2. Iker Martinez/ESP - co-skipper/helmsman
3. Simon Fisher/GBR- navigator
4. Gabriele Olivo/ITA - MCM
5. Jonathan Swain/RSA – watch captain
6. Jordi Calafat ESP – helmsman
7. Tom Addis/AUS - helmsman
8. Xabier Fernandez/ESP - trimmer
9. Pablo Arrarte/ESP Spanish - trimmer
10. Daryl Wislang/NZL - bowman
11. Pepe Ribes/ESP - bowman

On: Tom Addis/AUS - helmsman
Off Laurent Pages/FRA – helmsman

TELEFÓNICA BLACK
1. Fernando Echávarri/ESP- skipper
2. Roger Nilson/SWE - navigator
3. Mikel Pasabant/ESP - MCM
4. Santiago Lange/ARG – watch captain
5. Gonzalo Araujo/ESP – watch captain
6. Jaime Arbones/ESP – watch captain
7. Pablo Iglesias/ESP - helmsman
8. Javier De La Plaza/ESP - helmsman
9. David Vera/ESP - trimmer
10. Antonio Cuervas-Mons/ESP - trimmer
11. Michael Pammenter/RSA - bowman

On: Pablo Iglesias/ESP - helmsman
Off: Maciel Cicchetti/ARG - helmsman

Cochin Stopover is coming to an end on December 13, 2008

Cochin will witness the flag off cermony to mark the start of leg 3 of Volvo Ocean Race on December 13, 2008, 12 noon (locat time). A lot has been happening in the race village - several cultural events and the crowd too has been good over the past few days.

(Will update the blog with Cochin related stories in the next few days. I too have been held up with the events and the stories. I hope to follow the race till the end, so though it was meant for Cochin stopover, I would continue talking about the race. I am addicted to knowing more about Volvo Ocean Race and its happenings!)

Fishing vessels in festival mood

The picture was shot while fishing vessels took charge of the backwaters and were in a festival mood - an event on December 6th evening at the race village in Kochi.

(Photo Credits: Resmi Jaimon; Date: December 6, 2008)

Mini Pooram at the Race Village

Fifteen (15) elephants march towards the Race Village at around 1705 hours (local time) today. The image shows what the organizers called as "Mini Pooram" (with reference to the original Thrissur Pooram), getting ready for the festive mood.

(Photo Credits: Resmi Jaimon / Date: December 4, 2008)

Bouwe Bekking's interview online

Bouwe Bekking's interview is online at

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/12/04/stories/2008120451630100.htm