Volvo Ocean Race: Dueling in the south

(December 18, 2017; Leg 3, Day 9) – Current Leg 3 frontrunners Dongfeng Race Team and MAPFRE have been racing practically neck and neck today as the Southern Ocean continued to test the Volvo Ocean Race fleet.

“Not too long ago we had a port-starboard situation with MAPFRE, and that’s an amazing thing to have happen,” Dongfeng’s Carolijn Brouwer reported. “The guys on MAPFRE had to ease their masthead sail and arc up to avoid hitting us. We’ve been battling it out, gybing the whole night through, with probably an hour max on each gybe. It’s been pretty tiring.

It is an incredible occurrence given their position thousands of miles from anywhere. In fact, in the past 24 hours the fleet has sailed a few hundred miles north of the Kerguelen island chain, one of the most isolated places on the planet.

“For us it’s a bit frustrating that they’re so close, because we had a lead on them but they sailed a bit better and caught up,” noted Brouwer. “That said, it’s amazing to be out here in the middle of nowhere with your opposition right next to you. It’s a bit surreal but it makes us push the boats harder.

Fourth-placed Team Brunel were dealt a cruel blow with key crewmember Annie Lush suffering an injury to her back.

Lush and teammate Peter Burling were grinding on the aft pedestal as Team Brunel prepared to gybe close to the Antarctic Ice Exclusion Zone when a huge wave swept them into the guard rail at the back of the boat.

Burling was unhurt but Lush was left with pain down her right side and struggling to move her right leg. The British sailor, 37, has been prescribed painkillers and plenty of rest by the on-call race doctor.

To see Leg 3 crew lists… click here.

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Leg 3 – Position Report (19:00 UTC)
1. Dongfeng Race Team (CHN), Charles Caudrelier (FRA), 2551.8 nm DTF
2. MAPFRE (ESP), Xabi Fernández (ESP), 3.2 nm DTL
3. Vestas 11th Hour Racing (DEN/USA), Charlie Enright (USA), 59.8 nm DTL
4. Team Brunel (NED), Bouwe Bekking (NED), 69.0 nm DTL
5. Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag (HKG), David Witt (AUS), 97.0 nm DTL
6. Turn the Tide on Plastic (POR), Dee Caffari (GBR), 149.3 nm DTL
7. Team AkzoNobel (NED), Simeon Tienpont (NED), 283.0 nm DTL
DTF – Distance to Finish; DTL – Distance to Leader

Overall Results (after 2 of 11 legs)
1. MAPFRE (ESP), Xabi Fernández (ESP), 14 points
2. Vestas 11th Hour Racing (DEN/USA), Charlie Enright (USA), 13
3. Dongfeng Race Team (CHN), Charles Caudrelier (FRA), 11
4. Team AkzoNobel (NED), Simeon Tienpont (NED), 7
5. Team Brunel (NED), Bouwe Bekking (NED), 6
6. Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag (HKG), David Witt (AUS), 5
7. Turn the Tide on Plastic (POR), Dee Caffari (GBR), 2

The third leg started December 10 for the course from Cape Town, South Africa to Melbourne, Australia. The ETA is between the December 24 and 26.

2017-18 Edition: Entered Teams – Skippers
• Team AkzoNobel (NED), Simeon Tienpont (NED)
• Dongfeng Race Team (CHN), Charles Caudrelier (FRA)
• MAPFRE (ESP), Xabi Fernández (ESP)
• Vestas 11th Hour Racing (DEN/USA), Charlie Enright (USA)
• Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag (HKG), David Witt (AUS)
• Turn the Tide on Plastic (POR), Dee Caffari (GBR)
• Team Brunel (NED), Bouwe Bekking (NED)

Background: Racing the one design Volvo Ocean 65, the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race begins in Alicante, Spain on October 22 2017 with the final finish in The Hague, Netherlands on June 30 2018. In total, the 11-leg race will visit 12 cities in six continents: Alicante, Lisbon, Cape Town, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Auckland, Itajaí, Newport, Cardiff, Gothenburg, and The Hague. A maximum of eight teams will compete.

Source: Volvo Ocean Race