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The boat skippered by Iker Martínez is kicking off a new phase of preparation for the Volvo Ocean Race at the Canary island

After setting off from Alicante last Tuesday, May 17th, this morning “Telefónica” reached the port at the Marina Rubicón in Lanzarote. In doing so, the Spanish team competing in the next Volvo Ocean Race, the round the world regatta split into legs, is setting up what will be one of their key training bases until September.

Iker Martínez, skipper on “Telefónica”, spoke in a satisfied manner about the training run from Alicante to Lanzarote, whilst demonstrating natural prudence following what were the first few miles on the water: "The journey went really well and although we are at the very beginning and we must keep our emotions under control, the sail was particularly good. The fact that we were able to do a sail like this with no problems is a real step forward. Both the boat and crew performed very well".

Iker is aware of the importance of the next five months and highlighted that there is a lot of crucial work to be done to reach the 29th of October, the date of the first inshore race in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011/12, with the best possible guarantees: "There is a lot still to be done, but it looks like we are on the right track, which is the most important thing. Our aim is to be one hundred per cent at the start".

A new training phase for the Spanish team
With “Telefónica” already at Lanzarote and most of the crew there with her, the Spanish project enters a new phase of training, which according to skipper Iker Martínez, "also means a great step forward". "It is also an important moment for the team", added the Basque skipper. "the boat now has a temporary training base here in the Canaries and that is also a big step forward. It means getting down to work with all of the equipment we'll be using for the round the world race. Now we need to take care of our 'little boat', which has to last us the whole way around the world, and we must learn what she likes, what sails suit her best and how we must sail her".