There were only fourteen minutes between the second and fifth boats to cross the finish line this morning, after a very close battle between all the Farr designed yachts. Ericsson finished fourth, just three minutes behind Brasil 1 and less than two minutes ahead of movistar, after 1 day, 17 hours and 59 minutes of intense racing.

It was a rude awakening for the four new crewmembers onboard Ericsson, as they encountered brisk gear breaking conditions on their first offshore leg. "This is the most violent and noisy sailing I have ever experienced," said navigator Mark Rudiger (USA) about his debut on the Ericsson yacht.

The fleet departed Annapolis on 7 May, with 120 nautical miles of intense downwind racing ahead before reaching the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Conditions were light and variable for the early part of the race. Ericsson was in the thick of the action, swapping places with the leading Farr boats.

"We had every kind of wind direction and speed out of the Chesapeake, averaging 20 knots in the pitch black, with all the other boats around," said Rudiger. On exiting the Bay, Ericsson was in third position locked in battle with Brasil 1 and movistar, whilst Pirates of the Caribbean headed up the fleet. "Then we went right out into the teeth of a small gale, swapping tacks with the other boats, while going to the small heavy weather jib and third reef."

As the boats slammed upwind into 35 knots of breeze, ABN Amro One shot through the fleet to take the lead. Ericsson tacked up the American coastline, swapping places with its competitors and fighting for a podium position. As skipper Neal McDonald (GBR) explains, all was looking good as the New York skyline came within sight:

"Our goal at the start of this leg was to finish on the podium. This morning, as the day rose, we could see all our direct competitors just around us. We did a very good job at passing movistar and really thought that we had a great chance. Then Brasil 1 cut a corner and passed us. They took a big risk but it paid. Good for them!"

McDonald continued: "It has been a hell of a fight all through the leg. The conditions were quite shifty, so it was hard work. There were permanently subtle changes in wind direction. It was a very physical leg, but we had a great time and the crew did a very good job. I definitely feel that we have improved a lot recently."

The sailors will now catch up on some well deserved sleep, before preparing for leg seven. They will depart New York on Thursday 11 May, for a 3200 nm leg across the Atlantic to Portsmouth, UK.

- End -

Quote:

Richard Mason (NZL): "It was very tough physically and we didn't get to sleep at all. I think we have used every sail combination possible. It was a very technical race. The positive point is that our boat speed was good and the team work was also fantastic."

Ken Read (USA): "We have been beating hard for 300 nautical miles, so it wasn't the most pleasant introduction to VO70 racing for me. These short races are harder than longer legs, because you don't get into the routine of resting during your watch off. You just don't get to sleep at all. We have been maneuvering very hard, tacking at least 50 times and ballasting all the gear at each tack."

Mark Rudiger (USA): "This is the most violent and noisy sailing I have ever experienced. The motion was brutal; everything was flying inside the boat. It was very interesting for me, as a navigator. During the Chesapeake, I was on deck but then I spent most of the time below. These boats are so fast that we really need to anticipate every manoeuver a long time in advance. For example, it takes twenty minutes of preparation before we can tack."

"I am quite happy with our navigation. This morning, we were controlling the situation well. But then Brasil 1 took a shortcut. They sailed just two boat lengths closer to the shore than us, in a very shallow area. It was a huge risk but it paid!"

Leg Six Results:

1. ABN AMRO ONE, 7 points 2. Pirates of the Caribbean, 6 points 3. Brasil 1, 5 points 4. Ericsson Racing Team, 4 points 5. movistar, 3 points 6. Brunel, 2 points 7. ABN AMRO TWO, 1 point

Notes to Editors Ericsson Racing Team, headed by Ericsson, the world's leading telecommunications supplier is supported by Sony, Sony Ericsson and by Semcon as design and development partner. For updates and pictures on the Ericsson Racing Team's participation in the Volvo Ocean Race, please visit www.ericssonracingteam.com. You can register as media to download high resolution images for editorial use. High resolution video footage is available on request.

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