Volvo Ocean Race- Leg 1 - Mapfre gets 'chicked' - Final report

by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz on 8 Nov 2014 The first leg of the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race is now complete. It will be remembered for several reasons.

Firstly it was the first outing for the new one-design fleet designed for this and the next edition of the 40,000nm race. The outcome was that there were numerous lead changes, often on the same day - and there was some extremely close racing, with the break-out only occurring as the fleet traversed the equator.

But even so the Chinese flagged entry, Dongfeng was able to pull through from fourth through to second overall and was just 12minutes astern of the race leader, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing at the finish.

All boats finished the leg, and in good time. Contrast that to the same leg on the previous leg, when two of the six boats had a race of it, another Groupama was trapped in light winds off the African coast and dropped a massive lead. The three others, Abu Dhabi, Sanya and Puma finished the leg on a ship. It was a pattern that was to be repeated right throughout the race.

There was one significant damage issue, abroad Dongfeng with a backstay tang fracture, however that did not slow the boat, and the organisers objective of having all boats finish and in a reasonable time was achieved.

The leg was conducted mainly in light to moderate winds. The test in extreme conditions is yet to come.

One boat was 'chicked'. Hopefully Mapfre won't be the only one in this race, although the other all male crews could also consider themselves fortunate after the all woman crew of Team SCA made a bold move leaving the Mediterranean, and led through the Straits of Gibraltar by an hour on the second day of the leg. The race lit up from there.

In the end the Leg became notable for the fight-backs from two of the most under-rated crews in the race - the Chinese aboard Dongfeng Race Team and the all-woman crew aboard Team SCA. They set the scene for what promises to be an enthralling race.

The latest report from Volvo Ocean Race Control is as follows:

Latest position report: November 7, 2014 0700 UTC

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - Finished
Finish time (UTC): 15:10:44 (November 5)
Elapsed time: 25d 3h 10m 44s
Sailed Distance (nm): 8772.4
Max 24hr distance (nm): 539.3
Max 1hour average speed (knots): 26.6

Dongfeng Race Team - Finished
Finish time (UTC): 15:22:44 (November 5)
Elapsed time: 25d 3h 22m 48s
Sailed Distance (nm): 8363.9
Max 24hr distance (nm): 541.7
Max 1hour average speed (knots): 24.6

Team Brunel - Finished
Finish time (UTC): 19:33:25 (November 5)
Elapsed time: 25d 7h 33m 25s
Sailed Distance (nm) 8788.9
Max 24hr distance (nm): 533.5
Max 1hour average speed (knots): 26.5

Team Vestas Wind - Finished
Finish time (UTC): 12:48:47 (November 6)
Elapsed time: 26d 0h 48m 47s
Sailed Distance (nm) 8531.5
Max 24hr distance (nm): 522.7
Max 1hour average speed (knots): 23.8

Team Alvimedica - Finished
Finish time (UTC): 01:07:38 (November 7)
Elapsed time: 26d 13h 07m 38s
Sailed Distance (nm) 8405.5
Max 24hr distance (nm): 489.5
Max 1hour average speed (knots): 27.9

MAPFRE, Team SCA
Wind Speed: 14.8 to 14.9 knots
Boat speed SOG (last 15 mins): 14 to 15 knots
Wind direction: 126º to 133º
Lowest boat speed: MAPFRE (14.9 knots)
Highest boat speed: Team SCA (14.8 knots)
Lowest wind speed: Team SCA (27 knots)
Highest wind speed: MAPFRE (32 knots)

And then there were two.

Having spent much of yesterday negotiating an area of very little wind, MAPFRE and Team SCA looked like they were setting up for a dramatic exchange of places in the race for sixth spot after Team Alvimedica finished at 0107 UTC this morning.

After a difficult Doldrums crossing, Team SCA has been consistently on the back foot, missing out on the many opportunities offered to the main pack.

On some schedules (six-hourly position reports), they were trailing by an uncomfortable distance. It is credit to their tenacity and determination that they caught MAPFRE up to at one stage to be closer to Cape Town then the Spanish.

Both teams twisted and turned desperately trying to be the first to escape the light air zone that lay between them and the finish.

Escaping to the north, MAPFRE led the charge – or should we say crawl? – slowly picking up the wind just before Team SCA. This gave them the slight jump they needed to get ahead.

Then in a bold move to attack, Team SCA traded places with MAPFRE from a southerly set-up to leeward position.

This move happened just as the wind started to build. Team SCA were sailing a freer course to maximize boat speed in the run into Cape Town.

They are now in 30 knots with wind on the beam at 131º, sailing at about 16 knots. Yesterday the boats had no wind; now they have too much.

We've just heard that watch leader Liz Wardley (AUS) was washed off her spot at the helm earlier this morning but fortunately was harnessed on and escaped injury. Just shows the force of the waves coming across the magenta boat.

Stop Press: We are in for a grandstand finish. MAPFRE are closer to the finish but are heading straight for the wind shadow of Table Mountain so they will need to bear off quite considerably. Meantime, Team SCA is set up further out to sea and has the option of sailing beyond the wind shadow. Stay glued to see how this plays out.

That’s it for this leg, folks. Hope you’ve enjoyed these logs. We’ll be back in business for Leg 2 when the fleet heads out from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi.

Meantime, fair winds.