The 10th and penultimate round of the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race kicked off on Monday. With the season finale approaching, things are heating up, which is not surprising as the gap between the two main contenders - Dongfeng Race Team and MAPFRE - is only 1 point, while Brunel and AkzoNobel teams are on their heels, 3 and 5 points behind the leader respectively.
The current leg is the shortest of all 11 legs of the regatta, with only 1,300 nautical miles from the start in Cardiff, Wales to the finish in Gothenburg, Sweden. But it is a sprint course with plenty of challenges.
«The first half of the route passed along the British Isles and the teams had already tasted» the pleasures of sailing close to the land when the currents and the winds shift direction all the time. This area is also dominated by high latitudes, famous for their calm waters, which required the teams to show a maximum of navigation and maneuvering skills to overcome.
At the head of the fleet is an intense battle between MAPFRE and Brunel teams.
The Spaniards overcame the subtropical high pressure zone with its debilitatingly weak winds faster than the others yesterday. However, during the night crew of Bouvet Becking managed to catch up and even temporarily overtake the red boat, and then hung on its tail with a gap of less than 1 mile.
Third position is held by AkzoNobel team, 4 miles behind the leaders. Dongfeng Race Team and Turn the Tide on Plastic battle for fourth place, followed by Vestas 11th Hour Racing, with Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag crew coming in last over 37 miles away.
The teams still have about 300 nautical miles ahead of them. They will soon reach the finish line along the southern coast of Norway and finish in Gothenburg within the next 12 hours.
Prior to the start of the current leg, the VOR crews battled it out in a port race in Cardiff. The victory went to Dongfeng Race Team, however Spanish MAPFRE crew is still at the top of the standings in the In-Port Race series. These points could decide the fate of the winners if the offshore races end in a draw.
