VOR / Mike Sanderson welcomes sailors of the Artemis Offshore Academy

Sanya skipper Mike Sanderson played host to three aspiring Volvo Ocean Race skippers on the third day of the race’s two week stopover in Lorient.

Credit : I.Roman/VOR

VOR / Martin Kirketerp (Team Sanya) :"I won an Olympic gold medal. I want to get the same feeling in the VOR."

The last time Martin Kirketerp visited China he won an Olympic gold medal. Almost four years on he is back in a much more modest role, working as shore crew for Team Sanya in pursuit of another childhood dream -- to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race.

Credit : I. Roman/VOR

VOR / Team Sanya, skippered by Mike Sanderson, and "Tiger" at home (images)

Chinese sailor Teng Jiang He grinned from ear to ear as he helmed Team Sanya across the finish line to a hero’s welcome from their home crowd. Teng, better known as Tiger, was draped in a Chinese flag as he led Mike Sanderson’s men across the line at 12:35:17 UTC, bringing to an end 14 days of gruelling racing in Leg 3 Stage 2 from the Maldives.

Credit : I. Roman/VOR

VOR / Sanya’s Equatorial virgins hauled before King Neptune (video)

They may have been deprived of a visit to Neptune’s court during Leg 1 but there was no escaping the King of the Seas for the four Team Sanya crew members as they raced to the safe haven.

VOR / Sanya take to Madagascan waters for vital sea trials

Seventeen days since they were forced to suspend racing with rig damage, Team Sanya have hit the water in Madagascar in preparation to rejoin the Volvo Ocean Race.

Credit : A. Soriano/Team Sanya/VOR

VOR / Mike Sanderson (Team Sanya) :"they are coming up with action plans”

Team Sanya officially suspended racing on Leg 2 from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi on Tuesday as they prepared to put a repair plan in place on the island of Madagascar.

Credit :A. Soriano/Team Sanya/VOR

VOR / Team Sanya suffer rigging damage, head to port for repair (video)

Team Sanya suffered damage to part of their rigging early on Monday and are heading to a port in southern Madagascar in order to assess the damage and make a repair plan. No one has been injured and the crew are all safe.

ITW / Mike Sanderson : "the repair is probably between a two to three week job"

With two wins in three editions, Mike Sanderson is more used to flying than floundering in the Volvo Ocean Race. That’s why it is so tough for the New Zealander to come to terms with the calamity that struck his Team Sanya crew just hours into the start of the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12.

Credit : TIM STONTON/Volvo Ocean Race

VOR / Team Sanya's entry in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 suffers hull damage

Aksel Magdahl, Navigator on-board Team Sanya, reported at 08:34 UTC Sunday, 6th November that they had suffered hull damage on the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, which began yesterday in Alicante.

Mike Sanderson, Skipper has confirmed to Volvo Ocean Race Control that "The situation is very much under control, everyone is obviously disappointed but in good spirits as all are safe on-board," he said.
The boat was approximately 30 nautical miles SE of Motril, on the coast of Spain. The wind was blowing 43 plus knots and the waves were around 10.5 metres.

VOR / Sanya ready to go after rainbow refit (Images)

Team Sanya unveiled a rainbow refit and a Norwegian navigator among an experienced crew list on Saturday, just six weeks after announcing their participation in the Volvo Ocean Race and with the clock ticking down to their competitive debut in the Fastnet next week.

 Credit : Tim Stonton / VOR

VOR / Team Sanya to race in refitted, renamed ‘Telefónica Blue’

Team Sanya, the first sole Chinese Entry in the Volvo Ocean Race, will compete in a modified version of the ‘Telefónica Blue’ boat that finished third in the last edition of the race.
The yacht will be rechristened ‘Sanya Lan’ and will undergo a four to five week refit in the UK before hitting the water in early August, ahead of the start of the race on October 29 in Alicante.

Credit : Rick Tomlinson