Final show for Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18

The Hague, NED (June 29, 2018) – After nine months, 45,000 miles of offshore racing and 10 In-Port Races, the Volvo Ocean Race fleet is preparing to take the final start of the event at the Brunel In-Port Race tomorrow afternoon in The Hague.

It will be a bittersweet moment for the sailors, many of whom may be racing together for the last time after spending many miles at sea as close teammates.

Although the penultimate race held in Gothenburg saw MAPFRE seal the overall In-Port Race Series title, there is still much at stake in the eleventh and final contest including a tie-break scenario on the overall leaderboard.

SHK/Scallywag and Turn the Tide on Plastic are on equal points for sixth place on the overall Volvo Ocean Race leaderboard. David Witt’s Scallywags currently win the tie-break based on their lead in the In-Port Series. But Dee Caffari’s Turn the Tide on Plastic is just three points back. A good performance tomorrow, with some boats in-between, could lift Turn the Tide on Plastic into sixth place for both the In-Port Series and the overall Volvo Ocean Race.

There is also a battle between Dutch skippers Simeon Tienpont and team AkzoNobel and Bouwe Bekking’s Team Brunel for the final podium spot in the Series as just two points separate the teams.

And AkzoNobel has an outside chance at catching Dongfeng Race Team for second place, although the gap is five points.

Racing starts earlier than usual, at 1330 local time (1130 UTC), and will be broadcast live on the event website and Facebook page.

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

Overall In-Port Race Results (after 10 of 11 races)
1. MAPFRE (ESP), Xabi Fernández (ESP), 61 points
2. Dongfeng Race Team (CHN), Charles Caudrelier (FRA), 50
3. Team AkzoNobel (NED), Simeon Tienpont (NED), 45
4. Team Brunel (NED), Bouwe Bekking (NED), 43
5. Vestas 11th Hour Racing (DEN/USA), Charlie Enright (USA), 33
6. Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag (HKG), David Witt (AUS), 24
7. Turn the Tide on Plastic (POR), Dee Caffari (GBR), 21

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