In Port Philip Bay, the "Movistar" team finalized their last training prior to the start of the next offshore leg scheduled next Sunday at 14:00p.m. local time.

The Spanish boat sailed during 4 hours bordering
the city of Melbourne and returned to the dock during mid afternoon to
finish the last preparations for the start of the leg that will link
them from the Australian city to Wellington, New Zealand.

Xabi Fernández, Headsail Trimmer, feels confident about the
modifications realized on the Spanish VO 70 boat during the Melbourne
stop over. " Now  that we have incorporated the new hydraulic system, we
can push the boat to its limits without having to worry about its
resistance.  The hydraulic rams are the same ones that we used last year
when we sailed half way around the world free of any problems. We can
now concentrate on trying to win, and that alone is a big step forward
in comparison to the last leg".

"This leg is going to be a sprint", adds Bouwe Bekking, Skipper of the
Spanish boat. "We have 1450n.m. till we reach Wellington and according
to the forecast, it will take us about 4 days to get there.  This means
that the watch-system will vary a little; it will take more of an
effort. Luckily we are physically fit and can take on this extra effort
without any problems. If everything goes well, we will have a few days
in Wellington where we can rest before the start of the longest leg of
the race that will take us to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil".

 During a crew meeting we had, we agreed that all of us will be on deck
to do the sail peelings and maneuvers", adds Movistar's Bowman, Pepe
Ribes. The more people we are, the faster the maneuvers will be, and
gaining time is crucial in a short leg. I wouldn't be surprised if we
all crossed the Wellington finish line closely together, and if that
were the case, a minute can mark the difference between winning or not.

 According to Ribes, the teams will begin to experience difficulties at
the starting line: "It's going to be hard from the beginning.  Because
of its currents which can be up to 7 and 8 knots, Port Philip Bay is in
itself a challenge. It will most likely cause the boats to accumulate at
the channel mouth, and that will make it difficult for them to get ahead".

 Tomorrow,  "Movistar" crew will meet for the last time to go over the
route to Wellington, and each one will check the area they are
responsible for on the boat. If everything goes as planned, they will
enjoy an afternoon of relaxation before the race start on Sunday.

 Three months of competition

When the Volvo Ocean Race fleet begins the third ocean leg in Wellington
next Sunday, it will have been exactly three months since the start of
the race in Vigo, Spain,  on November 12th, 2005. The race has already
mastered 12.500 nautical miles and disputed three inshore races; the
results leaving two Dutch ABN-AMRO boats as leaders, and the Spanish
"Movistar" boat, which  suffered an accident on the first day of leg
one, moving up to third place since leaving Capetown

Starting next Sunday, the boats will return to the fearsome southern
waters, with the third leg taking them 1450n.m all the way to
Wellington, resting only during a 48hour  pit-stop, and then continuing
with the 4th  longest and most demanding leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 
that will take them 6.700 n.m.  to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil after passing
by Cape Horn.