Crowds of friends, family and Ericsson supporter's lined the quay at the Victoria and Albert Waterfront this morning, as the team arrived to the familiar backdrop of Table Mountain. Despite numerous setbacks; destroying their kite on the first night and suffering various breakages and keel problems, the team finished the leg in under 21 days. Whitbread / Volvo Ocean Race veteran's amongst the team described it as the fastest first leg they have ever raced.
 
Although slightly disappointed not to be standing on the podium, skipper Neal McDonald was glad to have finished: `We're pleased to be here - the team has done a great job. The first night was a baptism of fire and the learning curve was steeper than I wanted it to be. It was a dream leg in terms of the weather but destroying our kite, steering gear issues and keel problems all made it difficult. I feel a lot more confident about going out there for the next leg having a lot more miles under our belts.`
 
Ericsson navigator Steve Hayles (GBR) was instrumental to the team's navigation through the doldrums which saw them overhaul Brasil 1 and ABN Two and pick up 3 points at the scoring gate. Hayles commented:
 
`All things considered, I think that this leg went quite well for us. We have managed to double the amount of miles sailed on this boat and we have made mistakes that we have learned from. We have also scored some important points at Fernando de Noronha. So yes, I think that we can not complain too much. Having said this, of course we are disappointed. If we hadn't lost a spinnaker, and had hydraulic problems, we would have managed to fight for a place on the podium.`
 
After a good shower and some well-deserved rest, the team will be back out on the water tomorrow, to make their sail decisions for the next leg. The boat will then be taken out of the water for a complete overhaul, so that she can be 100% for the next leg.
 
- Ends -
 
Quotes
 
Neal McDonald (GBR): `We're pleased to be here - the team has done a great job. The first night was a baptism of fire and the learning curve was steeper than I wanted it to be. It was a dream leg in terms of the weather but destroying our kite, steering gear issues and keel problems all made it difficult. I feel a lot more confident about going out there for the next leg having a lot more miles under our belts.`
 
Tom Braidwood (AUS): `The first couple of nights of this leg were really tough. It was a big initiation for all of us. These boats are real submarines. The good part about them is they are quick, so you don't hang around for too long out there. But you need to be permanently conscious of the risks; a wave can wipe you off at any time. We would have loved to do better. But
the good thing is we have learned a lot.`
 
Richard Mason (NZL): `I feel like I have been away for a long time. But I have to say that to be back and find your kids waiting for you on the pontoon is something very special. It's incredible how much it changes your life. Our keel problems have been very frustrating. We were in touch with the lead of the race and suddenly we couldn't keep up the rhythm any more. It was disappointing.`
 
Tony Kolb (GER): `The first night was pretty tough. We made a few mistakes that cost us a precious spinnaker. We have been suffering ever since, as we couldn't get to the right speed. Then we have had several other problems, mainly with our keel. For sure, we will have to work hard with the shore crew in order to bring the boat back in tune, but she's a great boat and I am very confident for the future of the race.`
 
Guillermo Altadill (ESP): `We had more wind than we expected on the first leg. We lost our fractional spinnaker after a hairy first night, which caused us a lot of miles later on. We did well in the doldrums to get ahead of the Brasilians, but then we had problems with out keel and this more or less ended the race for us. The performance of the boat was no surprise - we knew these boats would have problems, it's just a question of how you deal with it. We learnt a lot on this leg, we have gained confidence and we know where we need to improve. I think we are in good shape.`
 
Magnus Woxen (SWE): `It's great to finally get to Cape Town and nice for me to be back here for a third time in this race. It was the easiest and fastest sailing I've ever seen on this leg. It was tough having keel problems. We learnt a lot about the boat and the weaknesses we have in terms of sails for example. Losing a sail on the first night made us think a little and I am sure we're going to be stronger than ever after this.`

Source: Annabel Merrison - Press Officer Ericsson Racing Team