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IWC Schaffhausen and the Volvo Ocean Race 2011–2012 in Itajaí

Itajaí, 23 April 2012 – The extremely gruelling fifth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011–2012, from Auckland to the Brazilian port city of Itajaí, was won by the Puma team. Wind, bad weather, the cold and icebergs were among the major challenges facing crews during this spectacular stage of the race. As Official Timekeeper, Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen awarded the prestigious trophy
for its 24-hour Speed Record Challenge to the crew of Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand. The Brazilian racing driver Enrique Bernoldi paid a visit to Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing and wished the team good luck for the sixth leg.

No one had expected the fifth leg to be a stroll in the park. At 6,700 nautical miles, the stretch from Auckland to Itajaí on the Brazilian Atlantic coast is not only the longest, but also the toughest in the race. Enormous waves that regularly flooded the decks of the vessels to shoulder level, together with howling gales, tested the nerves, skill and stamina of the six crews to the limit. The Sanya team were forced to retire in the opening stages after suffering heavy damage to their hull. Puma was the only vessel of the six to survive the extreme conditions unscathed and thus claimed victory for itself in this stage. The three crews of Telefónica, Groupama and Camper all sustained structural damage and
suspended racing at various points of the leg to undertake repairs. Telefónica staged a spectacular
comeback and, as a result, was able to secure second place. After suffering a broken mast, Groupama used a jury rig to complete the last 800 miles and came in third. Following an unscheduled stop in Chile, Camper had around 2,000 nautical miles to make up and arrived at Itajaí in fourth place.

Race against time for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing
The IWC-sponsored Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team also felt the full impact of the forces of nature. “It’s amazing how quickly your priorities can change from racing to survival,” admitted skipper Ian Walker. “One minute we were riding the back of a front, doing 500 miles a day towards Cape Horn and getting a real taste of the Southern Ocean; the next we were genuinely concerned for our own safety as we sat with a damaged hull in freezing conditions, 1,700 miles from the nearest landfall.” The crew created quite a stir when the news emerged as to how they had managed to make the damaged vessel
seaworthy again. “The repair involved drilling through the hull and bolting the hull laminate back together. We spent the best part of 5 hours hove to with the boat on its side to keep the water off the port side while the work was done in 30-knot winds and big seas.” Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing headed for Puerto Montt on the Chilean coast and retired from leg 5. From there, the boat was shipped to Itajaí and arrived just a mere 2 days before the crew had to get back to the start line. In a dramatic race against time, major repairs and renovations were carried out to ensure that the team and race yacht were ready to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Race. The race was held last Saturday,
and the team secured an encouraging 4th place.

On Sunday, 22 April 2012, local celebrity, ex-Formula 1TM driver Enrique Bernoldi paid a guest visit to the crew of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. The Brazilian sportsman used the opportunity to exchange thoughts with the racing team on the differences and similarities between the two sporting disciplines. Bernoldi joined the team for the start of the sixth leg on Sunday. He wished the team the best of luck, jumped into the water and was taken back ashore.

IWC 24-hour Speed Record Challenge
Watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen is the Official Timekeeper of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011–2012 and sponsors the 24-hour Speed Record Challenge. The team that covers the greatest distance within a period of 24 hours in each leg is awarded the much-coveted trophy. After racking up 528 nautical miles, the crew of the Camper yacht took the IWC trophy for the fifth leg. It was presented by Michel Cheval,
Brand Director of Richemont Latin America & Caribbean LLC. The overall fastest time over the entire 8 months of the race will land each of the 11 members of the winning crew a Portuguese Yacht Club Chronograph Edition “Volvo Ocean Race 2011–2012”. IWC Schaffhausen will present the watches to the winning crew at the end of the race in Galway, Ireland. The sixth leg of the race takes the teams 4,800 nautical miles to Miami, where they are expected to arrive on 6 May 2012.

Follow the progress of the Volvo Ocean Race at:
www.volvooceanrace.com

Further information about Abu Dhabi Ocean
Racing can be found at:
www.volvooceanraceabudhabi.com

Illustrative material can be obtained free of
charge at: www.photopress.ch/image/iwc

IWC Schaffhausen
With a clear focus on technology and development, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen
has been producing watches of lasting value since 1868. The company has gained an international reputation based on a passion for innovative solutions and technical ingenuity. One of the world’s leading brands in the luxury watch segment, IWC crafts masterpieces of Haute Horlogerie at its finest, combining supreme precision with exclusive design.


Original Language: English