1 SAIC LA JOLLA STORY from Interpersona ... - Interpersona Oy

”At least we are hungry enough for the remaining two legs!”
SAIC La Jolla, participating in the Global Challenge
2004-05 yacht race around the world with
Eero Lehtinen as skipper, is after five sailed legs in
a good position for the placement in the whole
race. The crew is fourth facing the remaining
two legs. The crew arrived fourth after the latest
leg as well, following several occasions in
the leading position. The tactical decisions in
the final straight weren’t the best though and
three yachts managed to run off. Interpersona
operates as adviser to SAIC La Jolla and Eero
Lehtinen in challenges with coaching, leadership
and strengthening of team spirit.
Eero Lehtinen’s report for the Interpersona-
Newsletter:
For me the stop in Cape Town was like the fulfillment
of wishes. Most of the time I spent together with
my wife Tonya and our children (Alex 10, Edu 9 and
Hanna 5), I met friends and family friends, lived at home
and mostly stayed away from the yacht. My employer,
colleagues (other skippers) as well as my crew had all
in a good spirit of solidarity promised me a couple of
weeks extra break. I hadn’t seen my family since last
September and therefore this felt great. Time ran far
too fast, though, and a bittersweet farewell faced us the
first of May. Our middle child Edu wasn’t able to stop
shedding his tears when it was time for the goodbye
hugs. It was only an exceptional dose of adrenalin that
saved me from the same phenomenon and I managed
to keep my poker face through the entire hectic day.
The day of departure was cloudy and there was
no wind at all in the beginning. In the time of sailing
the yachts were sailing with a speed of one knot and
the balancing was interesting as the favorable current
pushed yachts almost out of control over the line. Italian
skipper Amedeo Sorrentino’s gamble failed and
the yacht crossed the line about one second before
the starting shot. We staid safely on the line but had
to hold back until the last seconds and the yacht was
fairly crosswise when the starting shot was heard. The
second skipper John Wilkinson was at the helm and I
was trying to watch the competitors and the rising of
the winds in order to find the best sailing route. Only a
couple minutes after we sailed off the wind started to
wake up and we were on the more favorable side of
the line. The ones who left from the yacht end were all
still in the calm, while a group of four yachts - Samsung,
SAIC La Jolla with skipper Eero Lehtinen is well positioned
when two legs of Global Challenge remain: the crew is
fourth with good potential for a medal.
Stelmar, SAIC La Jolla and Spirit of Sark – shot ahead
and towards the first turn sign at the shore of Cape
Town. La Jolla was third to round the sign and headed
towards famous Robben Island, being the first to lift its
screaming orange spinnaker. A better route choice and
good maneuvers speeded up La Jolla to a good rhythm
and we left Table Mountain behind us as the yacht took
the first position when the first night fell on.
A broken sail
The first night was full of action as the wind rose to
15m/s when the fleet was bunched together. We had
7 boats in our wake within a few miles, the hard wind
spinnakers were beginning to be too much in the small
hours and the crew had to work hard changing sails
and trimming. The helmsmen got aching shoulders
already in the very beginning and the speed was wild.
Tough ocean conditions create stress and make leadership
really challenging.
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