Volvo Ocean race - Alvimedica slowly spending their lead + Video

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com on 21 Jun 2015 Almost 24 hours after the start of Stage 2 of leg 9, from The Hague to Gothenburg, Sweden, Team Alvimedica, the first stage leader had her lead of 26nm at the finish of Stage 1, chopped to just 10nm at 1150UTC on Sunday morning.

Although they started an hour and 46 minutes (106minutes) ahead of the second finisher Dongfeng, Alvimedica started in a lighter wind, setting the scene for the more immediate boats catch up.

The fleet had to negotiate a maze of Exclusion Zones placed to keep the yachts clear of shipping lanes. The path through these Zones was optional. Alvimedica made the choice of passing outside the major Exclusion Zones.

As would be expected with a competitor starting with a lead of over 100 minutes, the other boats were able to track the leg Leader's course and then decide whether to follow, or try and cut through the narrow passage between the Exclusion Zones.

Second starter under the Mark Foy system, Dongfeng took her chances up the middle and with the assistance of a strengthening breeze managed to halve Alvimedica's lead.

With the boats now able to chose a direct route to Sweden, Alvimedica slowly crossed over in front of the lead pack to take a ten mile lead - of a similar quantum to that which the women's crew of Team SCA defended for most of Leg 8.

Once ahead the speeds of the lead bunch assumed a similarity, but sailing a similar course with quite marked differences in wind direction.

On the overall points table there will be no change in the Overall Medal podium placings, with Abu Dhabi holding her lead despite placing fifth on the water. Team Brunel should hold second overall, with Dongfeng needing to get one more boat between herself and Team Brunel to draw level for second place. If the positions stay the same on the water, Alvimedica will finish in fourth place overall, one place ahead of Mapfre.



The earlier at 0400UTC, Watch Log from Volvo Ocean Race described the racing since the start:

It’s hard to say much about this morning, as they are largely the byproduct of last night’s chosen paths through the Traffic Separation Scheme zones.

Team Alvimedica, who was first out of the blocks to the most western route, opted to head outside the furthest TSS in search of more wind.

This plan mostly worked for Charlie Enright and his guys as they are still 13 nautical miles ahead of Dongfeng Race Team, in second. At one point they stretched their lead to 15nm but this has reduced in recent hours as the chasers came from behind with slightly more wind.

Dongfeng Race Team, MAPFRE and Team Brunel were next out of the dock in that order. However MAPFRE took a bad shift sailing up the Dutch coast and within 3 hours had let Team Brunel slip by.

This group took the middle option and remain tight with only 6nm separating them. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing also followed through the middle after a rough start.

They have now pulled back into sixth and it looks like they will overtake the blue boat as the angle to the waypoint works in their favor.

Team Vestas Wind and Team SCA decided to take the right hand lane through the TSS. It initially looked like it had more options, however the angle they have been sailing relative to the fleet has put them behind the other pack by around 30nm.