Volvo Ocean In Port Race - Sensational racing on Tagus River Lisbon

by Rob Kothe and Jedda Murphy on 7 Jun 2015 Volvo Ocean Race - With the fleet now back at full force with the return of the Team Vestas Wind to the race, there is a lot of interest in this In Port race, with positions in these short course races to be used as tiebreakers

SCA has suffered in the long races but in short course racing the women have more than held their own, the only winner of two inport races. One of the Olympians on the SCA team Annie Lush attributes their success to carefully timing of every aspect of manoeuvres and the extra crew numbers ensuring that the grinders are all manned or shall we say personned and they have more eyes out of the boat.

But their timing was off at the start, they were a second early and had to go back. Mapfre hit the line with speed, Brunel and Albu Dhabi close behind. Alviamedica made a big gain getting tidal relief on the right and sailed into second place ahead of Brunel.

Charkes Caudrelier took Dongfeng to the left with worse current but with better pressure and a left shift was climbing back into the race.

MAPFRE, with both Xabi Fernandez and Iker Martinez at the top extended at the bottom mark, Abu Dhabi second, with Dongfeng third, Alvimedica fourth place, ahead of Brunel. Team SCA have sailed through Vestas.

Halfway thru the race, MAPFRE was three hundred metres in the lead, ahead of Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi took the lead briefly but MAPFRE took it back.

A big move on Team Vestas on the right, as the wind began to drop they were the first boat to hoist their code zero and they sailed thru both SCA and Brunel who committed suicide on left.

At the top mark for the final time MAPFRE was only just ahead of Abu Dhabi, with a dropping wind the race officials shortened the course. Alvimedica was third, Vestas fourth, SCA fifth ahead of Brunek and Dongfeng.

MAPFRE won the race by just three metres, they were pinned by Abu Dhabi, called for water and with the best gybe just slid across the line.

Alvimedica was well back but in a clear third.

A sensational battle then ensured as Team Vestas Wind and SCA fought down the last leg, SCA timed thei last gybe perfectly. Vestas tried to match then but in strong current has hit the finish mark hooked their rudder on it, had a crew member climb onto the mark to try to push them off.

SCA took fourth, Brunel fifth, Dongfeng sixth and Vestas seventh.

A great come back from SCA, had SCA been a second or two later at the start, they could won this race.

Lisbon In-Port Race results

Course:
Downwind start
Bearing to gate: 085
Distance: 1.25nm
3 laps
On the third lap the bottom gate was moved to 0.8nm. The course was shortened, the boats finished the race on leg 5.
Total distance sailed: 5.8nm

TWD 240
TWS 7kts

Lisbon In-Port Race results
1. MAPFRE 14:59:39 -1pt
2. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 14:59:40 -2pts
3. Team Alvimedica 15:05:07 -3pts
4. Team SCA 15:08:38 -4pts
5. Team Brunel 15:09:44 -5pts
6. Dongfeng Race Team 15:13:07 -6pts
7. Team Vestas Wind 15:15:14 -7pts

In-Port Race Overall standings
1. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - 21pts
2. Team Brunel - 25pts
3. Team SCA - 28pts
4. Team Alvimedica – 31pts
5. MAPFRE - 32pts
6. Dongfeng Race Team- 33pts
7. Team Vestas Wind -59pts