Credit : Maria Muina / Team Telefonica
"At the end of my career, I'd like to have a Volvo Ocean Race in the bag." Calafat, who won Olympic gold in the 470 class at the 1992 Barcelona Games, is the third Olympic champion in the team after Iker Martínez and Xabi Fernandez.
Calafat’s impressive career achievements also include America's Cup’s victory with Alinghi in 2007 and a podium in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 with Telefónica Blue. “It's a regatta I really enjoyed during the last edition, though I didn’t have the chance to win it. At the end of my career, I'd like to have a Volvo Ocean Race in the bag. That is the main reason why I'm back here again."
The Spanish sailor, who grew up on the island of Mallorca, will be trimmer and helmsman on board while coordinating the sail programme. "Jordi is a great all-rounder,” said skipper Iker Martínez. “Running the sail department, it’s his responsibility to make sure we have better sails than others – and it’s a big one. That's the area that can be improved the most along with our boat and mast.”
Calafat is well aware that victory will be tough. "It's always tricky to win. This will be the third edition with these boats and it's going to be even tighter, but I have total confidence in our team, in our skipper, in our navigator and the rest of the crew. I hope we'll be fighting right until the end to get there."
Another talent to join Telefónica is McDonald, who will be watch leader.
“Neal brings a lot to the team”, said Martínez. “He got lots of experience in many regattas, many of which he has won. He also knows many different classes and boats, such as the Volvo Open 70 and the maxi catamarans. He has extensive experience in very fast offshore boats.”
McDonald's track record boasts victories in the world's main offshore regattas - Sydney-Hobart, Fastnet Race, Newport-Bermuda Race, Middle Sea Race and Gotland Round, to name but a few.
The Briton was part of Sydney’s team for the America’s Cup 1995 and Swedish entry Victory Challenge in 2007. He also became European Champion in the 49er Class in 1998 and took part in the Olympic Games in Seoul 1988 in Flying Dutchman.
But so far, the Volvo Ocean Race has eluded him. With four round the world regattas to his name, his best finish was a second place with Assa Abloy in 2001-02. “There is definitely some unfinished business in this regatta,” said McDonald. "This race has been my life for a long, long time now. It feels like forever. Certainly for the last decade there's been very little else in my life, other than doing around the world racing and I've never won one. I've come second in one, but I want to finish and win one.”
Telefónica’s crew list confirmed to date:
Iker Martínez (ESP), Skipper
Andrew Cape (AUS), Navigator
Neal McDonald (GBR), Watch Leader
Jordi Calafat (ESP), Trimmer/ Helmsman – Sail Coordinator
Xabi Fernández (ESP), Trimmer
Pepe Ribes (ESP), Boat Captain
Diego Fructuoso (ESP), Media Crew Member
From : Volvo Ocean Race
