Fernando Echávarri, the member of Movistar joined the team in Rio de Janeiro today where the Spanish crew will be competing in a fierce coastal race next Saturday March 25th.
The European and World Champion in the Tornado Class in 2005, also named World’s Best Yachtsman in 2005 by ISAF (The International Sailing Federation) will be taking over from Spain’s Xabi Fernandez. Xabi has returned to Spain to train for the 2008 Olympics in Peking where he will be sailing in the 49er Class alongside Iker Martinez.
“This is a big opportunity for me, and I intend to make the most of it” Echávarri commented this morning from the Spanish team’s headquarters. It is really hard to get a place in a project of this calibre, and this really is a dream come true for me, something I have always wanted to achieve.”
Learning through work
Fernando Echávarri is one of the privileged few who know what it is like to sail on this magnificent Volvo Open 70, Movistar, following his training with the rest of the team last Summer in Sanxenxo (Spain). This has definitely given him some idea of what he has to look forward to.
“From what I have been able to see from sailing with these guys is that there are a very complete team who are giving it all they’ve got, and much more than the results would seem to show right now. I’m sure we will fight right up until the end to get the very best result. Personally I think what I can offer most of is enthusiasm and hard work, and I’m very sure that Xabi’s footsteps are hard ones to follow. My aim is to get down and work hard, to learn lots and to bring everything I’ve got to this, and to hopefully become just another member of the Movistar team.
An all-round yachtsman
Pedro Campos, Movistar’s Team manager describes what qualities attracted the Movistar team.
“Fernando reflects the true spirit of the Movistar team. He is tenacious, hard-working and he never gives up. In last year’s World Tornado Championships he started out behind everybody else, but along with his team-mate Anton Paz he became World Champion. He is a fantastic sailor and he has a great talent for working in a team, which is another of the qualities that first attracted us.”
“Since last Summer in Galicia, Spain,” says Campos, “when he started to train with us for Rio, he has always shown a real flair for this kind of boat. Physically he’s strong, he’s technically sound and personally, I consider him a great member of the crew. These are three fundamental aspects to being a good sailor onboard a Volvo Open 70.”
Bouwe Bekking also gave his opinion Echávarri.“He found the time in his busy Tornado schedule to come and sail with us in Sanxenxo, and he has always wanted to sail this race. Really, how many people can win the title of World’s Best Yachtsman?…well only one, and that says a lot about his talent. His has great vision when it comes to sails, and he has found many similarities between sailing with the Tornados, and sailing on a Volvo Open 70. Trimming and driving are perhaps his best qualities onboard. I am really happy to have him with us.”
Fernando Echávarri’s list of achievements is another key factor in his incorporation to the Movistar team. As Campos points out, “To be European and World Champion in the same year, and then to be named World’s Best Yachtsman by the International Sailing Federation is no mean feat. Coming from Galicia (in the North of Spain) myself, I feel very proud that a fellow countryman is joining the team.”
Mike Howard’s experience
Alongside Fernando Echávarri, in Río de Janeiro there will also be another addition to the Movistar Team, the North American Mike Howard or “Big Mike” to friends. Mike will be taking over from Noel Drennan in the coastal race next Saturday 25th March. This is an important event in this leg and will prelude Brazil’s Carnival city and USA’s Baltimore being linked together from April 2nd as the Volvo open 70s set off to the high seas yet again. Howard is a very experienced sailor, who knows what it’s like to sail RTW following his participation in a previous edition of the Volvo Ocean Race onboard Assa Abloy.
“What hasn’t Big Mike sailed on, and what hasn’t he won on?” Bouwe Bekking asks himself,as he ponders the new addition to the Movistar crew.
"As well as being a great sailor he has a fantastic physical strength, and he’s one of the most down to earth people I know. He will fit in perfectly with the team. Also he’s sailed with almost each and every one of us before!”
On his list of achievements various entries to the America’s Cup stand out, as well as a vast experience in Ocean racing, One-design Circuits and Match-racing. Howard has been sailing all over the world for the last 40 years, and before his last entry in the Volvo Ocean Race, he confessed to having sailed more than half a million nautical miles.”
Provisional general rankings Volvo Ocean Race
At the end of the 4th leg
1º ABN AMRO One (Holland), 49.0 points
2º ABN AMRO Two (Holland), 35.0 points
3º Pirates of the Carribbean (USA.), 30.5 points
4º MOVISTAR (Spain), 28.0 points
5º Brasil 1 (Brazil), 26.5 points
6º Ericsson (Sweden), 21.0 points
7º Brunel (Australia), 11.5 points