Nokia Oops Cup Race 5 - Oslo Speed Race

New Finn on the helm secured victory

TietoEnator has struggled to keep up so far in Nokia Oops Cup. But this Sunday they finally got up to speed after changing roles on board the Finnish trimaran. Kenneth Thelen took the helm and Thomas Johanson the role as tactician. TietoEnator secured first place in Oslo Speed Race.

– You can always trust Kenneth when he is at the helm, and now I got to do what I am best at, said Thomas Johanson, former Olympic champion in 49er.

Up until Oslo City Race TietoEnator was in 5th of the six boats in Nokia Oops Cup, but when the to sailors changed roles they took a huge step forward.

- It feels fantastic to finally win, said Thelen, soaking wet after the Polish team on Bonduelle threw him in the water as a celebration of the victory.

After some beautiful days in Oslo the rain and cold came creeping in over the capital this Sunday. It was raining and blowing a light breeze over the course in the inner harbour, and the wind was very unstable. But even with little wind there was no lack of drama around the buoys. In the second race the Finnish boat and Stena Sovcomflot crashed in to each other just a few metres from the finish line.

– They had the whole fjord to avoid a collison. If they had done the same in a Olympic class they would have taken a beating back on shore, said Johanson.

Luckily it didn’t come to a fist fight, but a session in the protest room where Johanson came out with a big grin. Stena Sovcolmflot got disqualified and TietoEnator kept their victory.

Team Academy with Knut Frostad came second, Stena Sovcomflot with Bruno Peyron third, Swedish HiQ took fourth, Nokia fifth and Bonduelle sixth. Next race in Nokia Oops Cup is Sjaelland Rundt next Friday.

Oslo Speed Race Results:

1st TietoEnator, Finland, Kenneth Thellen, 5pts
2nd Academy, Norway, Knut Frostad, 6pts
3rd Stena Sovcomflot, Russie/Sweden, Bruno Peyron, 7pts
4th Nokia, Sweden, Magnus Olsson, 13pts
5th HiQ, Sweden, Klas Nylöf, 14pts
6th Bonduelle, Poland, Roman Paszke, 15pts

Nokia Oops Cup after 5 of 11 races:

1st Stena Sovcomflot 8pts
2nd Academy 11pts
3rd Nokia 15.5pts
4th HiQ 16,5pts
5th TietoEnator 19.5pts
6th Bonduelle 24.5pts