Anyone replacing a man of Michel Desjoyeaux's calibre has to be capable of something. Rob Greenhalgh is the helmsman and strong all-rounder that Team Mapfre has brought in for the comeback after the last place on leg one for the disembarked French super solo sailor. This was announced by the Spanish team of skipper Iker Martinez on Wednesday.
The second new signing is doubly interesting following the replacement of previous navigator Nico Lunven with Jean-Luc Nélias. Rob Greenhalgh has two major tasks to fulfil: He has to be more successful with Team Mapfre than the men were on stage one with seventh and last place. At first glance, this does not appear to be a great feat. But Greenhalgh also has to and wants to beat his sister Libby Greenhalgh and her women's team SCA. He says he is looking forward to the duel. She is too. She advised him to accept the offer in a phone call.
So from 19 November, the question is: which member of the Greenhalgh family will shine more on the second leg? Rob, who knows all the tricks of the trade, or the ambitious SCA navigator Libby? On paper, it's a clear case in favour of the older "Big Brother" Rob, who won the 2005/2006 Volvo Ocean Race with ABN Amro One under the command of five-time Olympic medallist Torben Grael. In 2008/2009, Rob Greenhalgh sailed to second place with Puma and as a crew mate of Michael Müller from Kiel, and in 2011/2012 he finished fifth with the current leaders of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing.
Libby and Rob Greenhalgh are the first siblings to compete in a race since the Dutchmen Tanya ("Maiden" with Tracy Edwards) and Edwin ("Equity & Law) Visser competed against each other in 1989/1990. Back then, the brother (14th) was only slightly more successful than the sister (18th). Mapfree's skipper Iker Martinez commented hopefully on his new addition: "We were looking for a very, very experienced helmsman who knows these boats and these sails. Rob's level of experience is fantastic with a win and a podium finish in this race. And he is known for his qualities as a watch leader, his ability to steer quickly. He is also very strong physically."
It is not without irony that it was Libby Greenhalgh of all people who delivered the final "stab in the back" to the "Mapfre" crew, who had already been sailing in sixth place, shortly before Cape Town, when she had the women's team steer a different course to the Spaniards, who were still nine nautical miles ahead of them in the morning before the finish. With this coup, the women managed to pass the red lantern of the tail light to Martinez' men at the last moment, who had got stuck in a wind hole at the foot of Table Mountain.
Libby calls it an "extra portion of spice" when she is asked about her brother's commitment. And she doesn't hesitate for a second when asked about her ambitions: "Of course I want to beat him!" Rob Greenhalgh is more diplomatic: "It's not the first time we've sailed against each other. I'm looking forward to it." But then Greenhalgh steps on the verbal accelerator a little more: "I know that the first leg didn't go so well for Mapfre. But I still believe that we have a good chance of winning the entire race."
With this brother-sister duel around the world, the ocean marathon has been given another exciting twist. The second stage from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi starts on 19 November. The Greenhalghs will be able to take stock of their family duel before Christmas.
Here you can see the highlights from stage one with the SCA women's brilliant performance:
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
