NEWS

First scandal at VOR 2017-18. AkzoNobel team deprived of skipper

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With 16 hours to go before the start of the first port race. Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 Team AkzoNobel suffered an unexpected blow - Simeon Tienpont was removed as skipper for breach of contract.

The Dutch team had to compete this Saturday in Alicante with an incomplete line-up. Navigator Jules Salter took on the role of skipper. This was the first of the races in the In-Port series that are judged separately from the main round-the-world series but could have a decisive impact on the final points tally.

While the crew of the new VO65 led by Tienpont knocked out a respectable third place in the Prologue stage, their sponsor AkzoNobel announced its desire to unilaterally terminate relations with the entire team.

All meetings scheduled thereafter in which to try and resolve the disagreement were postponed by the firm. Finally the sponsor announced that it would continue to support the team on the Volvo Ocean Race, but would suspend Simeon Tienpont.

Such behavior of the sponsor looks very strange against the background that a couple of weeks ago the CEO of AkzoNobel urged Simeon to contact him personally with any problems.

There is no limit to Thienpont's indignation: «They have announced they are cancelling the contract, which is totally groundless and extremely damaging to my reputation, especially considering the timing - shortly before the race. I can only assume it's about a small budget overrun resulting from security issues. But we have always been 100% transparent to AkzoNobel in all financial transactions, and all our expenditures occurred only with their approval. So it was them, not me, who clearly breached the contract».

Tienpont is a two-time winner of the America's Cup. He has already taken part in the Volvo Ocean Race twice and was due to make his debut as skipper this time.

It is unlikely that what happened on the eve of the port race in Alicante has boosted the morale of the Team AkzoNobel crew. They were last but one behind, leaving five of their rivals behind.

The leaders of the competition were the Spanish team MAPFRE. The team also finished first on stage zero and is the favourite of the season, according to the skipper of the winning boat of the previous Volvo Ocean Race, Ian Walker.

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