Djuice Dragons head for the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race
by Lizzie Green 9 Dec 2000 07:48 GMT
Djuice Dragons head to Australia for the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race
The Norwegian entry in the Volvo Ocean Race, Djuice Dragons, is heading to Australia this week for the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race. The team will be joining with Team Nicorette and racing on a new 80-foot Swedish maxi yacht skippered by Ludde Ingvall of Finland (Union Bank of Finland Whitbread
89-90) and Knut Frostad of Norway (Intrum Justitia Whitbread 93-94,
Kvaerner Innovation 97-98, djuice.com 2001-02).
Djuice Dragons skipper, Knut Frostad, opted to join Nicorette and compete on a Maxi instead of a V.O.60 because it was felt that the time and cost of putting an old boat on the water was too excessive in relation to what was being gained out of it. "We do not have any intention of using our old boat Innovation Kvaerner. Rather, we have focussed on building our two new boats
early and utilising all the time this winter to prepare those boats for maximum-performance training in March," says Frostad. "I don't see a great deal of value sailing the Sydney-Hobart in an old boat unless you have optimised it with a new rig and sails," he continues.
The foremost objective for Djuice Dragons in the Telstra Sydney-Hobart is to investigate local weather conditions and potential tactical strategies which will serve them in leg three of the Volvo Ocean Race. Frostad is also keen to give the sailors more racing experience. The maxi yacht, Nicorette, features water ballast and other characteristics of a V.O.60 so race conditions will closely replicate the real thing.
"The relationship between Djuice Dragons and Team Nicorette is optimal for us as we get a brand new, top-level race boat supplied for the race and only have to supply the race crew ourselves," says Frostad.
Of the 22 crew on board Nicorette, six will be Djuice Dragon crew including:
- Knut Frostad (Norway) - co skipper
- Ed Baird (USA) - tactician/helm,
- Espen Guttormsen (Norway) - helm/trim
- Jonas Wackenhuth (Germany) - crew
- Christen Horn Johannessen (Norway) - crew
- Wouter Verbraak (Holland) - crew/weather
Four additional sailors will be under the watchful eye of Frostad as they use the Sydney-Hobart as a tryout for a coveted place in the final Djuice Dragon crew to be announced in April 2001.
Jacques Vincent (France) and Jean Yves Bernot (France), members of Djuice Dragons, will not be participating in the Sydney-Hobart as they are currently involved with Team Adventure in the mammoth clash of the catamarans, The Race. Vincent and Bernot will join Djuice Dragons in March.
About Djuice Dragons
The Djuice Dragons is a Norwegian-based team, competing in the Volvo Ocean Race 2001-2002. Skippered by Knut Frostad, the team is sponsored by mobile internet company djuice.com, NERA, NutriPharma, Wallenius Wilhelmsen and Scandinavian Airlines.