Team SCA win Abu Dhabi In-Port Race

Abu Dhabi (January 2, 2014) – Team SCA, with their all-female crew, dominated the In-Port race in Abu Dhabi and took their first victory in Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

With Olympians Carolijn Brouwer (NED) on the helm and Sally Barkow (USA) calling tactics, the team led the fleet from the start line.

In the searing heat of the afternoon, Team SCA led the five other Volvo Ocean Race teams over the start line and shortly after tacked to the starboard side of the course. This was the call that proved to be the key to their success.

The Swedish-flagged boat found a good breeze in the light and fickle winds and left the rest of the fleet behind. At the first mark they already had a lead of some 100 meters ahead of Team Brunel, while at the second, with the wind staying stable between 5-8 knots, they had doubled this to 200 meters.

“It’s an awesome feeling,” comments Carolijn Brouwer, “we had the practice race a couple of days ago and won that but it was great to go out and do it all again exactly the same, with the same result.

“Everyone onboard did such a great job, we didn’t come off the start line too well but we made up for it. Our coach said to us this morning “just do the same as you did in the practice race” and we literally did – we tacked in the same spot, we jibed in the same spot, and we finished in the same spot.

“We have always been moving around a little bit and figuring out the best positions onboard and I think that has worked well for us but its just everyone having their input and gelling together which makes a difference.”

Fellow crew member Annie Lush agrees: “It is great to get a race win, get that winning flag and to prove that winning the practice race was not a fluke and we can do this – now we just have to embrace this feeling of leading the fleet and try to sustain it for the next 24 days!”

This win in Abu Dhabi, puts the all-female team third on the leaderboard for the InPort Race series and the result is a huge morale booster for tomorrow’s start of the 4600-mile Leg 3 from Abu Dhabi to Sanya, China.

Report by Team SCA. Photos by Rick Tomlinson.

Abu Dhabi In-Port Race result:
1. Team SCA, Sam Davies (GBR)
2. Team Brunel, Bouwe Bekking (NED)
3. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Ian Walker (GBR)
4. Dongfeng Race Team, Charles Caudrelier (FRA)
5. Team Alvimedica, Charlie Enright (USA)
6. MAPFRE, Xabi Fernandez (ESP)
7. Team Vestas Wind, Chris Nicholson (AUS), Did not start

Scoreboard – Race website – Crew lists

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 third offshore leg from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China is 4,670 nm, with the start on Jan. 3 and the ETA on Jan. 23-31.