HAPPY CAMPER GLAD TO BE ON FRENCH SOIL

LORIENT, France, June 15) – An elated CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand secured second place on Leg 8 of the Volvo Ocean Race, bringing them back into overall contention for a podium place as they move into third place in the race for the Volvo Ocean Race Trophy. Once again, the Spanish/New Zealand team has won the IWC Schaffhausen Speed Record Challenge for the leg, posting a 24-hour run of 546 nautical miles on the 14th June in heinous conditions in the Bay of Biscay. This leg has been one of the fastest of the race to date. Once around the Azores the six-boat fleet was blasted the final 1000 miles to the French coast covering

500 miles in a day and in speed in excess of 40 knots. With 21 points separating the top four boats at the top of the leaderboard when they left Lisbon, there was everything to play for. CAMPER, who excel in extreme conditions, were on a mission to put their feet back up on the overall Race podium.

The last 36 hours have been some of the most testing for the crew, sailing into the low pressure system in the Bay of Biscay, the crew were left battered and bruised. Trimmer Rob Salthouse, described the crew as looking like the ‘walking wounded’ after the continual knockdowns and poundings from the tonnes of water that engulfed the deck throughout the night.

The dogged determination of the CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand crew was rewarded on Thursday evening (14th) as they again seized the IWC Schaffhausen Speed Record Challenge for the leg with a run of 564 nm in 24 hours.