Volvo Ocean Race: Busy in Pit Row

Itajaí, Brazil (April 19, 2018) – Six of the seven teams competing in the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race will be on the start line tomorrow afternoon for the Itajaí In-Port Race in Brazil.

After only five of the teams completed the Leg 7 from New Zealand to Brazil, Vestas 11th Hour Racing is successfully rejoining the fleet following their dismasting but Team SHK/Scallywag, which lost a crew during the leg, only arrived in Itajaí by mid-afternoon today. The team won’t be taking part in the In Port Race as they work around the clock to prepare for the start of Leg 8 on April 22.

After six events in the Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Race Series, the Spanish MAPFRE team, skippered by Xabi Fernández, is at the top of the leaderboard with two race wins and three second place finishes to boast the most consistent podium results.

But just three points back is Dongfeng Race Team, winners of three races, but held back by one disappointing result in the China stop.

The two Dutch-skippered entries, team AkzoNobel and Team Brunel, are battling for the final podium spot, with Simeon Tienpont’s AkzoNobel squad just one point ahead of Bouwe Bekking’s Brunel.

The Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Race Series acts as a tie-breaking mechanism for the overall race leaderboard. And with just one point separating first from second place after seven legs of racing, the results here could be crucial by the time the race finishes in The Hague at the end of June.

Following the In Port Race on April 20, the 5,100 nm Leg 8 from Itajaí, Brazil to Newport, USA starts on April 22.

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

Overall In-Port Race Results (after 6 of 11 races)
1. MAPFRE (ESP), Xabi Fernández (ESP), 37 points
2. Dongfeng Race Team (CHN), Charles Caudrelier (FRA), 34
3. Team AkzoNobel (NED), Simeon Tienpont (NED), 27
4. Team Brunel (NED), Bouwe Bekking (NED), 26
5. Vestas 11th Hour Racing (DEN/USA), Charlie Enright (USA), 16
6. Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag (HKG), David Witt (AUS), 15
7. Turn the Tide on Plastic (POR), Dee Caffari (GBR), 11

Overall Results (after 7 of 11 legs)
1. Dongfeng Race Team (CHN), Charles Caudrelier (FRA), 46 points
2. MAPFRE (ESP), Xabi Fernández (ESP), 45
3. Team Brunel (NED), Bouwe Bekking (NED), 36
4. Team AkzoNobel (NED), Simeon Tienpont (NED), 33
5. Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag (HKG), David Witt (AUS), 26
6. Vestas 11th Hour Racing (DEN/USA), Charlie Enright (USA), 23
7. Turn the Tide on Plastic (POR), Dee Caffari (GBR), 20

COURSE: Starting on April 22, Leg 8 takes the teams from Itajaí, Brazil to Newport, USA. Race organizers choose to estimate the tactical distance for each leg rather than list the actual distance, an unusual decision that’s revealed once the race starts and the tracker lists the actual distance to finish. The VOR says Leg 8 is 5700 nm whereas the truth is more like 5100 nm.

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