Just minutes after the skippers stepped ashore at Sharjah following the tough fought Leg 3 Stage 1 battle, Chris Nicholson took some time out to talk about his race (Camper took the fifth place).
CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Chris Nicholson :
"It certainly wasn’t the result we were aiming for. We need to go back to the drawing board and have a look over it. We were left a little bit wanting for speed coming across on the reach. We made some changes to the boat and by our numbers we were going better than on the way down from Sharjah, but it still wasn’t enough to hang on to those guys. When it got a little bit broader we got better. It’s a little bit hard being hampered to go the one heading that these guys are strong on. We just have to bide our time for this next leg. There’ll be a bit more upwind which we’re comfortable with and just keep chipping away at where we’re weak.
"The other guys were just a bit quicker. We were looking at them hard, looking at us hard, and we couldn’t see any differences in the set-ups as such but it may be they are a little quicker with hull shape.
"Now we have a lot of homework in regards to the weather and geographical obstacles that we have in the next leg. I don’t think the next leg will be won by boat speed, it will be won with being smart and keeping the boat in one piece and going the right way.
"You’ve got to get all the points you can. Even today, you can see all the boats have weak and strong areas. You just don’t want to end up in a position further down the track where one or two of the legs don’t favour you. You wanna get as many points on the board as early as you can.”
More images of Leg3, Part 1 here
From : Volvo Ocean Race
Credit : H. Hooper/Camper/VOR
CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Chris Nicholson :
"It certainly wasn’t the result we were aiming for. We need to go back to the drawing board and have a look over it. We were left a little bit wanting for speed coming across on the reach. We made some changes to the boat and by our numbers we were going better than on the way down from Sharjah, but it still wasn’t enough to hang on to those guys. When it got a little bit broader we got better. It’s a little bit hard being hampered to go the one heading that these guys are strong on. We just have to bide our time for this next leg. There’ll be a bit more upwind which we’re comfortable with and just keep chipping away at where we’re weak.
"The other guys were just a bit quicker. We were looking at them hard, looking at us hard, and we couldn’t see any differences in the set-ups as such but it may be they are a little quicker with hull shape.
"Now we have a lot of homework in regards to the weather and geographical obstacles that we have in the next leg. I don’t think the next leg will be won by boat speed, it will be won with being smart and keeping the boat in one piece and going the right way.
"You’ve got to get all the points you can. Even today, you can see all the boats have weak and strong areas. You just don’t want to end up in a position further down the track where one or two of the legs don’t favour you. You wanna get as many points on the board as early as you can.”
More images of Leg3, Part 1 here
From : Volvo Ocean Race
