Volvo: Delta Lloyd to get new mast in China

12:47 PM Tue 9 Dec 2008 GMT

'Delta Lloyd, Leg 1 start Volvo Ocean Race with the mast already compromised' Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race &copy Click Here to view large photo

Team Delta Lloyd shore manager Jeff Condell has confirmed that their boat will have a new mast in Qingdao. The team came into the race with a weakened mast because of damage sustained when the boat was still owned by Ericsson Racing Team, but the rig was further compromised when they broke a jumper in the first week of leg one.

It has been deemed necessary for the team to order a new mast from Southern Spars, which they hope to have stepped by the Qingdao in-port race on February 7.

'It has been weakened in that area where they had the problem and we subsequently had the problem in the same area as well, at the jumper struts at the top of the rig,' Condell said.

'We could have had it sooner but the cost of transporting it would have been a lot more.'

He added: 'It's an opportune time to do something about it so that we have a rig with good integrity for the rest of the race. We hope it will improve our performance, but you never really know until it's racing.'

The team, which finished seventh in the opening leg of the race and sixth in leg two, also received a new A6 sail on Thursday.

It replaces one of two old sails they had coming into the race..

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Volvo: Delta Lloyd to get new mast in China

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