Volvo Ocean Race: Leg 4 to Hong Kong: "Technical, tricky, full of opportunity"
by Volvo Ocean Race 31 Dec 2017 22:54 PST
2 January 2018
:Leg Zero, Prologue start on-board Dongfeng. Dongfeng has a bad start and sails in the back of the fleet - 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race © Jeremie Lecaudey / Volvo Ocean Race
For the first time in history, the Volvo Ocean Race fleet is racing to Hong Kong. Leg 4 gets underway on Tuesday afternoon in Melbourne...
Leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Melbourne, Australia to Hong Kong, is a 6,000 nautical mile race north, up the east coast of Australia, with the navigational challenge of dodging islands as well as another doldrums crossing, before arriving in Hong Kong for the first time in the history of the race.
"It's going to be very tough, close racing," says Phil Harmer, who is returning to Vestas 11th Hour Racing after an injury for his first race action. "There is going to be someone next to you the whole way."
The skippers have described Leg 4 as:
- "Technical"
- "Tricky"
- "Full of opportunity"
- "The one I'm scared about... very, very complicated... very stressful"
- "We have to be ready for anything"
Leg 4 is scheduled to start at 2pm local time in Melbourne on Tuesday January 2 (0300 UTC).