The dream of a first overall victory has also been dashed at the seventh attempt for Dutch record participant Bouwe Bekking. Instead, it has come true for British skipper Ian Walker and his team Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. The final realisation came for Bekking and his team Brunel with fifth place in stage eight and the finish off Lorient in Brittany.
But Bouwe Bekking is not thinking of shifting down a gear now. With the motto "Now more than ever", he is pushing his team once again: He wants to defend second place. At least that one. And he wants to win the in-port classification. To do this, he has to put in a brilliant short race off Lorient on Sunday in order to secure the advantage of the better In-Port position in the event of a tie in the overall standings. YACHT online was on board during the final preparations for Team Brunel's final spurt, experienced a relaxed crew with plenty of fighting spirit and spoke to the skipper about the final spurt in the Volvo Ocean Race and future plans.
Mr Bekking, can you tell us your strategy for the final stage, where you have to defend your second place against three other teams?
Bekking: We will have to keep an eye on Dongfeng and Mapfre in particular. Ideally, we should finish in the top three on the last stage and, if possible, win the in-port classification.
Does your team have a 'home advantage' on the final stage, because it leads from Lorient via the pit stop in The Hague in the Netherlands to the finish harbour in Gothenburg?
Bekking: Perhaps a slight advantage, because they know the waters around The Hague very well. But Charles Caudrelier and his Frenchmen on Dongfeng are of course very familiar with the Lorient area and would therefore also have a slight advantage.
How disappointed were you that the overall victory didn't work out this time either?
Bekking: I was already annoyed. But when you're older, you're better able to reflect and put things into perspective. It was harder for the younger members of the team. The winners won because they sailed very well. So they deserved it.
Where did you let the potential overall victory slip from your grasp? Was there a key scene?
Bekking: Probably on the way to New Zealand. We had a good lead on the way to the finish and then slipped to fifth place when we sailed too far east.
Will you try to win the race of your life as a skipper for an eighth time?
Bekking: You should never say never. We will try to raise the money for it. That is and remains the most difficult task in the Volvo Ocean Race. We'll see what role I take on if we succeed. But it is important for sailing in Holland that we form another campaign.
Why?
Bekking: Our country loves this race. It's in our blood. In The Hague alone, 16,000 guests from sponsors and partners of all teams are expected at the pit stop on the final stage next week. Of these, up to 7,000 will be our guests. The race moves people here.
How much money is ideally needed for a successful campaign? Would 15 million euros be a good budget?
Bekking: Oh, yes! We did it for less.
How tough was the race on the new one-design boats for the sailors?
Bekking: Physically less tough than previous races. We had less wind than usual. Mentally, however, it was very tough because everyone was constantly under pressure due to the close distances.
What did you enjoy about this 12th edition of the race around the world?
Bekking: The team! They can do something, and we also did a lot together outside of sailing and had fun. It reminded me of my first race around the world with "Philips Innovator". We have a very good camaraderie in Team Brunel.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
