Ken Read says continued improvement and better decision making will be the key to his PUMA team getting back in contention for the lead in the Volvo Ocean Race.
Speaking before the re-start of competition at the end of the race’s stopover in Sanya, Read said he still believed PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG could lift the overall trophy.
Having taken time to reflect on his team’s performance during a trip back home to Newport, Rhode Island, Read said he concluded that he and his crew simply had to sail better to fulfill their potential.
“We have to make the boat go faster and we have to make better decisions,” he said. “The buck stops with me and I would never point the finger at anyone else. Especially the decision making part of it, I feel responsible for.
“With so many points still on the table, don’t count PUMA out yet and don’t draw any conclusions about us yet. The best of us is for sure in the future and I think our whole team is anxious to get on with it. We just need to start doing better.”
Read said he believed the same was true of all the teams including race leaders Team Telefónica who he said were hard to fault offshore but had their own room for improvement inshore.
“Even Team Telefónica can say that they can do some stuff better because they have been last in two in-port races. Other than that they have sailed flawlessly,” Read said.
“Among the other five boats we can all point criticism at ourselves and (in PUMA) we are willing to do that.
“We are not easy on ourselves, believe me and I am not easy on myself, believe me. That’s part of the game and part of what we have to keep doing.”
Forty-seven points adrift of Telefónica, largely due to failing to finish Leg 1 after breaking their mast, Read said the leaders were far from un-catchable.
“Are we at a massive disadvantage right now? Absolutely,” he said.
“But, what are we -- a third of the way through the points right now? I see a lot of issues (for all the teams) between here and Galway.
“There are a lot of things to break, a lot of things to hit, a lot of things in the ocean that come up unexpectedly.”
Read said this edition of the race was different to any in previous years because the level of competition was so high and so even.
“The boats are stocked full of the best sailors in the world, wonderful people making decisions, but somebody still has to win and someone has to lose,” he said.
“I’m just ticked off that we are at the bottom end of the ladder right now and we have to work harder and make better decisions to improve.
“What I like about this team is that everyone of then has made a career out of improving and winning.
“Nobody has give up. That won’t happen until Galway I can guarantee you.”
Source : Volvo Ocean Race
Credit : P. Todd/VOR
Speaking before the re-start of competition at the end of the race’s stopover in Sanya, Read said he still believed PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG could lift the overall trophy.
Having taken time to reflect on his team’s performance during a trip back home to Newport, Rhode Island, Read said he concluded that he and his crew simply had to sail better to fulfill their potential.
“We have to make the boat go faster and we have to make better decisions,” he said. “The buck stops with me and I would never point the finger at anyone else. Especially the decision making part of it, I feel responsible for.
“With so many points still on the table, don’t count PUMA out yet and don’t draw any conclusions about us yet. The best of us is for sure in the future and I think our whole team is anxious to get on with it. We just need to start doing better.”
Read said he believed the same was true of all the teams including race leaders Team Telefónica who he said were hard to fault offshore but had their own room for improvement inshore.
“Even Team Telefónica can say that they can do some stuff better because they have been last in two in-port races. Other than that they have sailed flawlessly,” Read said.
“Among the other five boats we can all point criticism at ourselves and (in PUMA) we are willing to do that.
“We are not easy on ourselves, believe me and I am not easy on myself, believe me. That’s part of the game and part of what we have to keep doing.”
Forty-seven points adrift of Telefónica, largely due to failing to finish Leg 1 after breaking their mast, Read said the leaders were far from un-catchable.
“Are we at a massive disadvantage right now? Absolutely,” he said.
“But, what are we -- a third of the way through the points right now? I see a lot of issues (for all the teams) between here and Galway.
“There are a lot of things to break, a lot of things to hit, a lot of things in the ocean that come up unexpectedly.”
Read said this edition of the race was different to any in previous years because the level of competition was so high and so even.
“The boats are stocked full of the best sailors in the world, wonderful people making decisions, but somebody still has to win and someone has to lose,” he said.
“I’m just ticked off that we are at the bottom end of the ladder right now and we have to work harder and make better decisions to improve.
“What I like about this team is that everyone of then has made a career out of improving and winning.
“Nobody has give up. That won’t happen until Galway I can guarantee you.”
Source : Volvo Ocean Race
