Volvo Ocean Race – The racing is tighter than ever

by Volvo Ocean Race on 23 May 2015

Leg 7 to Lisbon onboard Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. Day 4. Daryl Wislang trims as Luke "Parko" Parkinson drives as night sets in the Atlantic Ocean - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 Matt Knighton/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing

Volvo Ocean Race – A few days ago the feeling onboard Dongfeng was that they had just had the worst day racing so far (after their mast breakage on leg five, that is).

Today it’s been Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s turn to play that tune.

At 0500 UTC, having just sailed past the corner of the ice limit, the leading pack was very closely bunched, just three nautical miles apart. Dongfeng was the most leeward boat with MAPFRE and Team Alvimedica just above them. The Chinese and the Spaniards made the most of more wind and a slightly better angle to simply sailed around the rest of the fleet and open out an impressive lead.

Team Brunel and Abu Dhabi both suffered the most by being to windward of the fleet. In fact, the Emirati boat now trails Dongfeng by seven nautical miles.

Team SCA now trails by 13.9nm and also lost out by not being more to the north.

The racing is tighter than ever, but the sailing conditions are just fantastic. Dutch skipper Bouwe Bekking even said that “this is by far the easiest Atlantic crossing I have ever done and I have done many. Hardly any spray on deck, winds never exceeding 20 knots, flat seas and still having some ‘fresh’ carrots.

“But this is also the most exciting crossing I have done, it’s unbelievable how close the racing has been and still is.”

And there is more to come. Navigating the Azores High is the nest hurdle ahead.

Leader: DFRT
Wind speed: 20 knots
Boat speed SOG (15 mins): 20 knots
Wind direction: 195º
Lowest boat speed: SCA (17.1 knots)
Highest boat speed: DFRT (18.4 knots)
Lowest wind speed: SCA (18.8 knots)
Highest wind speed: MAPF (21.4 knots)