Volvo Ocean Race - Intense battle in light wind

by Volvo Ocean Race on 25 May 2015 Volvo Ocean Race - Team SCA, Team Alvimedica and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing have been scrapping to catch up as Team Brunel, MAPFRE and Dongfeng Race Team try to defend against each other.

The girls on Team SCA have worked the extra wind they had and converted it into yet more gains into the fleet. Less than 20 nm separates all six boats and, as for the leading three, only 1.1 nm of separation.

It's been a hard night for Ian Walker and his crew - after making losses yesterday they have started to claw back slightly after a succession of gybes in the middle of the fleet. Team Alvimedica have also had to work to stay in contention, doing only three gybes compared to Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing‘s five.

Bouwe Becking and his team have worked their way into first place on this morning's sched, sailing past Dongfeng Race Team and MAPFRE took just under an hour as they got the better side of a shift.

With no more than six knots of wind across the fleet, it’s forecast now to steadily increase all the way into Lisbon, building to high teens and mid 20’s as they get to the compression zone just off the coast of Portugal. A welcome relief for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing as they seem to be faster in the stronger winds.

Will it come too little too late though?

Leader: TBRU
Wind speed: 5.7 knots
Boat speed SOG (15 mins): 5 knots
Wind direction: 292º - 319º
Lowest boat speed: DFRT (4.2 knots)
Highest boat speed: SCA (7 knots)
Lowest wind speed: ADOR (4.8 knots)
Highest wind speed: MAPF (6.8 knots)