Volvo Ocean Race - Several attacks before passing the leaving mark

by Volvo Ocean Race on 17 Jun 2015 Dutch Skipper Bouwe Bekking led his team out of Lorient, winning the start and holding off several attacks before finally passing the leaving mark.

Team Alvimedica and Team SCA jumped the start and were called over early on course side, before being forced to turn back to restart, so they trailed the fleet in the in-port section of the leg.

Ahead of them at the leaving mark were Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Dongfeng Race Team, Team Vestas Wind and MAPFRE in second.

With a nice evening breeze of about 12 knots from the north, the fleet navigated their way around a number of waypoints set by the Race Committee - a great way to show off the fleet to our racing fans across the region.

After a frenzied gybing duel down to the Goué Vas Sud waypoint, the fleet entered the Bay of Quiberon. The positions have shuffled a little since the leaving mark, with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing now chasing Team Brunel, who are still in the lead.

After passing the Isle of Belle, the night ahead will be all about hitting the various tidal gates - and hitting them at just the right time.

Get there too early and you push currents as much as eight knots against you. Hit them just right and a team could get a jump on the fleet.

The first potential tidal gate is just off La Plate. The leaders are predicted to be there around 03:00 UTC. The potential of getting that one wrong if you're there too late is very high as the wind is due to drop.

The next one is off Ushant later tomorrow morning. It’s looking like the current will be fully against them and may cause the fleet to compress up to it, just like when the leaders would hit light winds ahead on the ocean legs.

The fun and games do not stop as they have many more tidal gates and headlands to navigate, the famous lighthouse off Alderney being a real highlight.