Volvo Ocean Race: Telefonica starts on her qualifying 2000nm voyage

11:31 AM Tue 17 May 2011 GMT

'Telefonica skipper and Double Olympic medalist, Iker Martinez from Spain, takes the newly launched Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 entry out on the water, before leaving the start port of Alicante, Spain, for their training base in Lanzarote.' Volvo Ocean Race &copy Click Here to view large photo

Team Telef?nica left her base in Alicante this morning for Lanzarote, Canary Islands. Skipper Iker Mart?nez and his crew will attempt to complete the 2000-mile qualifying passage required for all entries in the 2011/12 Volvo Ocean Race. 'It took nine months to build her, so everyone is really looking forward to get out there and sail to see how everything is working,' said Mart?nez. After being unveiled in her Valencia's boatyard, Telef?nica's new Volvo Open 70 has been prepared and tested for 20 days in Alicante. 'We've done some sailing this week here and it's a great place to carry ...

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by Volvo Ocean Race Media