Volvo Ocean Race: MAPFRE Wins In Guangzhou

Guangzhou, China (February 3, 2018) – There is a new overall leader in the Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Race Series after MAPFRE took a wire-to-wire win today in the Dongfeng In-Port Race.

“It was very tricky racing in the river of course,” said MAPFRE skipper Xabi Fernández. “We had a very good start and then we were able to stay in phase with the wind and current and extended away.”

It was a more challenging afternoon for the hometown heroes on Dongfeng Race Team, who were over the starting line early, along with SHK/Scallywag. But while Scallywag returned to re-start cleanly, Dongfeng found itself tangled up with the anchor line for the start mark – by the time they were free the rest of the fleet was hundreds of metres up the course.

While MAPFRE started well and extended away for the win, there was a real battle for second place between Team Brunel, with America’s Cup winner Peter Burling on the helm, and team AkzoNobel. The pair switched places time and again on the first three laps of the course, before Burling and Brunel extended slightly on the last upwind leg to gain some comfort on the final run to the finish.

Scallywag, who were third at the first top mark, fell to Brunel on the first run and then had fourth place to themselves the rest of the way.

Meanwhile, Dongfeng Race Team was making every effort to pick up at least one position before the finish. The gap with Turn the Tide on Plastic narrowed on each leg, but in the end, Dee Caffari was able to hold off the late charge and secure fifth place, leaving Dongfeng in sixth.

For crew lists… click here.

Next Up: The teams had left Hong Kong on February 1 for the first half of Leg 5 to Guangzhou in China, a 100 nm distance that will get repeated when the teams leave on February 5 to return to Hong Kong. Teams receive one point each for completing both halves, with the next stage to be the start of the 6100 nm Leg 6 on February 7 to Auckland, New Zealand.

Rumorville: Vestas 11th Hour Racing was not competing in the Dongfeng In-Port Races as they continue making repairs caused by the January 20 collision with a fishing boat. The absence of any status report from the team or race organizers fuels rumors they will also miss Leg 6 and possibly Leg 7 from Auckland to Itajaí, BRA.

Dongfeng In-Port Race Results
1. MAPFRE (ESP), Xabi Fernández (ESP)
2. Team Brunel (NED), Bouwe Bekking (NED)
3. Team AkzoNobel (NED), Simeon Tienpont (NED)
4. Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag (HKG), David Witt (AUS)
5. Turn the Tide on Plastic (POR), Dee Caffari (GBR)
6. Dongfeng Race Team (CHN), Charles Caudrelier (FRA)
7. Vestas 11th Hour Racing (DEN/USA), Mark Towill (USA)

In-Port Series Overall Results (after 5 of 11 races)
1. MAPFRE (ESP), Xabi Fernández (ESP), 32 points
2. Dongfeng Race Team (CHN), Charles Caudrelier (FRA), 27
3. Team Brunel (NED), Bouwe Bekking (NED), 23
4. Team AkzoNobel (NED), Simeon Tienpont (NED), 21
5. Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag (HKG), David Witt (AUS), 13
6. Vestas 11th Hour Racing (DEN/USA), Charlie Enright (USA), 12
7. Turn the Tide on Plastic (POR), Dee Caffari (GBR), 10

Race details – Tracker – Scoreboard – Race route – Facebook – YouTube

2017-18 Edition: Entered Teams – Skippers
• Team AkzoNobel (NED), Simeon Tienpont (NED)
• Dongfeng Race Team (CHN), Charles Caudrelier (FRA)
• MAPFRE (ESP), Xabi Fernández (ESP)
• Vestas 11th Hour Racing (DEN/USA), Charlie Enright (USA)
• Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag (HKG), David Witt (AUS)
• Turn the Tide on Plastic (POR), Dee Caffari (GBR)
• Team Brunel (NED), Bouwe Bekking (NED)

Background: Racing the one design Volvo Ocean 65, the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race begins in Alicante, Spain on October 22 2017 with the final finish in The Hague, Netherlands on June 30 2018. In total, the 11-leg race will visit 12 cities in six continents: Alicante, Lisbon, Cape Town, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Auckland, Itajaí, Newport, Cardiff, Gothenburg, and The Hague. A maximum of eight teams will compete.

Source: Volvo Ocean Race