Crew changes ahead of 12,300-mile leg

SAILING VOLVO OCEAN RACE:AS FINAL preparations are made for tomorrow's start to the mammoth 12,300-mile Volvo Ocean Race stage from China to Brazil, changes to team line-ups have been made during the stop-over at Qingdao this week.

On the Irish-Chinese backed Green Dragon, navigator Ian Moore will not be sailing to Rio de Janeiro as he returns to his home in Cowes to be with his wife who is expecting their second child. His place will be taken by Wouter Verbraak who competed on board Team Russia for the first two legs. As navigator on the latter entry, the Dutch sailor is known to have completed extensive research on the crucial weather patterns for the leg ahead.

Another change is Australian crewman Anthony “Youngster” Merrington who will return home for physiotherapy and gym work to resolve a back injury. His place has been taken by Alex Main, a New Zealander with extensive America’s Cup experience, until Merrington’s injury heals.

Meanwhile, Verbraak is expected to join his third boat of the race in Brazil when he will join Team Delta Lloyd as the former race winner completes repairs. The Dutch-Irish entry is due to ship from Hong Kong today en route to Rio where reconstruction work will get under way.

When the Limerick-owned boat begins racing again in April, New Zealander Stu Wilson will be the only original crew member remaining on board. Cork sailor Ed O’Connor, who was awarded the Seamanship Award in Leg One is understood to be moving to the shore crew as changes are made under a new management team.

Crosshaven’s Wietse Buwalda remains on the shore team but the role of shore manager for Jeff Condell from Limerick has been dropped. Other changes include Mark Tighe, Ben Mir and sailing crew member Martin Watts.

“Essentially, Delta Lloyd have taken over Team Delta Lloyd as official entrant in this Volvo Race and a part of that have restructured the entire team,” Condell told The Irish Times. “As they already have their own project team, there was no longer a need for me.”

Condell started out with the original Chieftain team that was largely an amateur crew aiming for good results. “It’s moved on to a different level now and hopefully the boat will get some really good results between now and the finish,” he said. “It’s disappointing for our own guys but it’s positive with some really good guys coming into the programme.”

“I’m lucky to stay on board with the team so I’m headed to Rio,” said Buwalda. “But that doesn’t negate the fact I’ve built friends with these people. Ger O’Rourke did a fantastic job getting the boat to the starting line – nobody else could have done it.”

Condell said while there were difficulties along the way, the break-up hadn’t been acrimonious.

Green Dragon watch-leader Damian Foxall will be a highlight at next week’s Allianz Dublin Boat Show when a live link is made to the boat via satellite during the leg. More than 150 exhibitors are participating in the Irish Marine Federation’s event that is aimed at increasing participation to counteract the effects of recession.