Volvo Ocean Race - Team SCA third in Cape Town In-Port Race

by Team SCA on 16 Nov 2014 Team SCA took their first podium result in today’s InPort race in Cape Town. In the shadow of Table Mountain the Volvo Ocean Race fleet was thrown a few surprises as conditions fluctuated with the teams experiencing anything from sevem to 30 knots.

Strategy and picking out the wind shifts on the six-lap course was crucial to success. Today Team SCA showed that the training is paying off securing their first podium result in the race to date.

'We had a reasonable start, not perfect. We didn’t do everything perfectly, but at the same time we didn’t make any huge mistakes. It felt like we did more right than wrong. But when you’re racing in conditions with anything from seven to 30 knots, it’s not easy, you feel like you’ve always got the wrong sail up and you’re making compromises.
Today was a hard day for everyone onboard, from Stacey and the girls on the bow trying to wrestle the sails down, to Sally trying to find the wind in the right place and the trimmers trying to keep up with the wind changing all the time, it was just full on. We saw that making a small mistake can mean you give a lot away so we learnt a lot today,' Skipper Sam Davies (GBR)

As expected the start was key to the result. Abu Dhabi led the fleet off the line with SCA making a strong tactical call to also take the left hand side of the course staying in touch with Walker and his crew. It was clear the left hand side was to pay dividends, as the top three boats extended to create a split in the fleet. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing managed to keep Team SCA and Team Brunel at arm's length and hold onto the win, with the Dutch team pipping SCA to second on the final leg to the finish.

This is Team SCA’s first podium place in an InPort and their first time on the podium in this race to date.

'I think it is a great result for the girls, we have been giving some importance to the InPort race because it’s always a good way for the crew to gain more confidence. It is a very happy day for us to be on the podium and the girls should be pleased with this result. For us, we really wanted to just keep a good momentum for this stopover before the very tough leg ahead. It's now time to switch the focus to offshore mode'.

Team SCA has four days remaining until they depart for Leg Two, a 6,125 mile race to Abu Dhabi in the UAE. It is a leg that will deliver a range of conditions, another equator crossing and a tough final battle through the Gulf of Oman for the final stretch.

Results Cape town In-Port Race:

1. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - 15:06:57 -1pt
2. Team Brunel (NED) 15:08:00 - 2pts
3. Team SCA (SWE) 15:09:04 - 3pts
4. Dongfeng Race Team (CHN) 15:09:22 - 4pts
5. Team Vestas Wind (DEN) 15:11:25 - 5pts
6. Team Alvimedica (USA/TUR) 15:16:14 - 6pts
7. MAPFRE (ESP) 15:18:32 - Team SCA website