The entry of the sports and fashion brand Puma in the Volvo Ocean Race was spectacular. No team base has been as crowded, no boat as stylish as "Il Mostro". The second attempt is now about more. The monster should win.
Ken Read is starting preparations for the 2011/12 race early, and the core team that will accompany the construction phase of the new VO-70 racer with which Puma Ocean Racing intends to compete is already in place.
These include Brad Jackson (NZL), design coordinator and later watch leader, and his compatriot Tony Mutter, responsible for rig and sail development and also watch leader in the race. Both are experienced offshore professionals, as is the entire crew: they have 20 Volvo Ocean Race and 14 America's Cup participations between them.
Michi Müller, the only German in Puma's 2008/09 campaign, is not involved. So far anyway - negotiations with other crew members have not yet been finalised.
The team is currently transferring "Il Mostro" from Valencia to Newport, where Ken Read is setting up his training base, as he did recently. The second-placed boat serves as a reference for the new build, for which Juan Kouyoumdjian is responsible.
The designer could perhaps be the most important person, at least for the moment. He designed the winning boats in the last two Volvo races: ABN Amro 1(2005/06) and Ericsson 4 (2008/09).
Ken Read speaks of his appointment as a "huge step forward for our programme". Kouyoumdjian's radical designs, paired with an experienced team that accompanies and coordinates the development, testing and training - together they make for a well-rounded package.
Must too! Because not only are the expectations of Puma's success high. Ken Read is also competing with himself - he wants to sell the "old" monster in the summer as soon as the new VO 70 from Juan Yacht Design has been sufficiently tested. The new formula gives second-generation Volvo racers like "Il Mostro" a good chance against new builds.
Jochen Rieker
Herausgeber YACHT
