Volvo Ocean Race: All go for Scallywag

(January 15, 2018; Leg 4; Day 14) – Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag increased their lead in Leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race as they profit from favourable trade winds at the front of the fleet.

Among those cheering for Scallywag is one group of unlikely fans – the crew of MAPFRE.

Although they would rather be fighting for the Leg 4 lead the overall race leaders, some 170 miles behind in fifth, would rather see Scallywag win the leg and pick up the bonus win point than see it go to their overall rivals.

Then there’s the fact that Scallywag navigator Libby Greenhalgh is MAPFRE helmsman Rob Greenhalgh’s sister.

“[A win for Scallywag] would be good for them but good for us too,” Greenhalgh said. “With a bonus point available for winning the leg it would be best for us if that doesn’t go to Vestas or Dongfeng. We’re all rooting for Scallywag for multiple reasons. Go Scallywag!”

The north-easterly trade winds now dominate the run in to Hong Kong, limiting the tactical options available to the teams. Instead the focus is on pure boat speed as each crew attempts to rise through the rankings over the final days of Leg 4.

“It doesn’t look like there’s too many options other than just speed – it’s downwind sailing pointing straight at the finish line,” Carlo Huisman said from Team Brunel. “But spirits are still high on board. We’ve just got to stay as fast as we can.”

Turn the Tide on Plastic had more than just the position reports to worry about when their water maker – the machine that removes the salt from sea water to make it drinkable – stopped working.

It turned to Liz Wardley – nicknamed Little Miss Fix It by skipper Dee Caffari – to solve the problem. She quickly identified a corroded part within the water maker, and soon after the crew had fresh water again.

To see Leg 4 crew lists… click here.

Race details – Tracker – Scoreboard – Race route – Facebook – YouTube

Leg 4 – Position Report (19:00 UTC)
1. Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag (HKG), David Witt (AUS), 1590.0 nm DTF
2. Vestas 11th Hour Racing (DEN/USA), Mark Towill (USA), 77.8 nm DTL
3. Dongfeng Race Team (CHN), Charles Caudrelier (FRA), 99.2 nm DTL
4. Team AkzoNobel (NED), Simeon Tienpont (NED), 105.2 nm DTL
5. MAPFRE (ESP), Xabi Fernández (ESP), 176.5 nm DTL
6. Turn the Tide on Plastic (POR), Dee Caffari (GBR), 222.5 nm DTL
7. Team Brunel (NED), Bouwe Bekking (NED), 233.7 nm DTL
DTF – Distance to Finish; DTL – Distance to Lead

Beginning on January 2, Leg 4 is a 5,600 nautical mile race up the east coast of Australia from Melbourne, into the Coral Sea and up north to Hong Kong.

Overall Results (after 3 of 11 legs)
1. MAPFRE (ESP), Xabi Fernández (ESP), 29 points
2. Dongfeng Race Team (CHN), Charles Caudrelier (FRA), 23
3. Vestas 11th Hour Racing (DEN/USA), Charlie Enright (USA), 23
4. Team Brunel (NED), Bouwe Bekking (NED), 14
5. Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag (HKG), David Witt (AUS), 11
6. Team AkzoNobel (NED), Simeon Tienpont (NED), 9
7. Turn the Tide on Plastic (POR), Dee Caffari (GBR), 6

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