Volvo Ocean Race: Will it be four legs and four winners?

(February 27, 2015; Day 20) – As predicted, the Volvo Ocean Race leaders hit the high-pressure system cloaking the North Island of New Zealand. When race leader Abu Dhabi and Dongfeng hit the drifting conditions, MAPFRE went round the outside to slingshot from third to first.

Now sailing upwind angles on port tack toward the Kiwi coast, MAPRE is covering Abu Dhabi who is covering Dongfeng. All quite tidy for the time being.

While Brunel and SCA got dropped off the back in cloud roulette, Alvimedica is lingering close enough to give the leaders something to think about. There may be more shuffles ahead.

If MAPRE were to hold for the win, they would be the fourth team to win a leg. Four legs, four winners!

To watch the live broadcast at finish, click here

Leg 4 (5,264 nm) Position Report (as of 21:40 UTC)
1. MAPFRE, Xabi Fernandez (ESP), 81.6 nm Distance to Finish
2. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Ian Walker (GBR), 2.3 nm Distance to Lead
3. Dongfeng Race Team, Charles Caudrelier (FRA), 4.3 nm DTL
4. Team Alvimedica, Charlie Enright (USA), 12.6 nm DTL
5. Team Brunel, Bouwe Bekking (NED), 33.1 nm DTL
6. Team SCA, Sam Davies (GBR), 41.6 nm DTL
7. Team Vestas Wind, Chris Nicholson (AUS), Did not start

Race website – Tracking – Scoreboard – Videos

Background: The 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race began in Alicante, Spain on Oct. 11 with the final finish on June 27 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Racing the new one design Volvo Ocean 65, seven teams will be scoring points in 9 offshore legs to determine the overall Volvo Ocean Race winner. Additionally, the teams will compete in 10 In-Port races at each stopover for a separate competition – the Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Series. The fourth leg, from Sanya, China to Auckland, New Zealand (5,264 nm), began Feb. 8 with an ETA of Feb. 28.