At least one, if not both, of the ERT entries have to be looked at
as early favourites. This programme has more than any other team of the
one commodity that money can’t buy – time.

“In the
last race we started late and had some technical problems early on,
which, it is clear, hampered our performance,” says Richard Brisius,
managing director of the team. “By starting early (at the finish of the
last race in 2006), we have been able to get what we believe are the
right people, the right design, the right boatbuilders and the right
training.”

The international team is led by skipper
Torben Grael, who has assembled a crew that’s long on talent and
offshore experience. The Swede, Anders Lewander, leads the Nordic crew,
a team with less previous round-the-world race experience, so will
benefit from the addition of Magnus Olsson (sixth time around the
world), who should be a reassuring presence.

Both
boats were designed by Juan Kouyoumdjian and built by Killian Busch,
which proved to be a winning combination for ABN Amro in the last race.
Will lightning strike twice?

Follow the team online at www.ericssonracingteam.com