Fleet splits as top two put Brunel away

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 01 on board Vestas 11th Hour. 21 June, . Start of the race, Dongfeng and Scallywag next to us. © Jeremie Lecaudey / Volvo Ocean Race

After rounding the first major mark of Leg 11 of the Volvo Ocean Race, Dongfeng and MAPFRE are contesting the Leg and overall race lead.

The first turning point, as the boats cleared the Gothenburg Channel they split tacks and hardened sheets to head for the first rounding mark off Norway.

Mr Lee (Owner helming) Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 1 on board Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag. 21 June, . © Konrad Frost / Volvo Ocean Race

The lead group broke first and went up the Swedish shore – the trailing boats including MAPFRE stood offshore a little more and began to make gains, eventually taking the lead.

First update from the OBR, Sam Greenfield onboard Team Brunel takes up the story:

61 minutes have passed since the starting gun in Gothenburg for the final leg of this Volvo Ocean Race.

If you’re reading this I don’t have to explain the stakes, how the team is tied for first place with MAPFRE and Dongfeng and 1st, 2nd and 3rd place overall will be determined by the order that Brunel and the red boats cross the finish in The Hague. Fingers crossed our finish is better than our start.

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, Day 1 on board Brunel. Bouwe bekking leaves Gothenburg. 21 June, . © Sam Greenfield / Volvo Ocean Race

We had a bad one, had to pinch and compromise speed and settled into the fleet in 5th place, but with MAPFRE behind and Dongfeng ahead we exited Gothenburg in 2nd place overall. With a jungle gym of a race course ahead anything can happen and the team has three days to get ahead of Dongfeng.

We’re currently sailing upwind on port tack headed to the South of Norway. 16 kts TWS and 11.1kts Boatspeed.

“We’re bugger all close to everybody,” says Pete. “Next stop, Norway. Hopefully with no stops.”

11 hours ago – Update from Sam Greenfield OBR onboard Team Brunel:

I ask Capey, “Did you expect us to be more headed than this?” “Yup,” he says.

On the GPS we’re almost laying the mark in Norway, with TWA -62, 12.7kts boat speed and 16kts TWS.

MAPFRE is just off our stern and the pack with Dongfeng to leeward. If the wind angle holds or lifts we may be in a good spot on them. On deck the discussion is about bunk placement. How on the VO65 the fastest place for crew to put their weight is in the bed, because its the most outboard (and low) spot on the yacht.

“It’s smart design because it forces people to go to sleep when they’re off watch instead of stay up here like an idiot,” says Kyle while driving at the helm. The heritage/legends fleet is sailing nearby (according to AIS) and we groan at the idea of sitting on a rail during off watch around the world.

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 1 on board Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag. Clouds are closing in. Who will gain fro them? 21 June, . – photo © Konrad Frost / Volvo Ocean Race

At 2000hrs UTC Sam Greenfield reported from on board Team Brunel:

First the wind shifted (knocked) 90 degrees and then dropped to sub 10 knots. All the gear was stacked forward and now the fleet is playing an angles/tacking game Northward. The crew says Dongfeng made small gain by being the first to go. So much intensity onboard but very peaceful conditions.

Sail-World NZ at 0200UTC on June 22, 2018:

At the latest position report the fleet has rounded the mark off Norway and the fleet is headed back to a mark off Aarhus, Denmark. The intention was for the fleet to round that mark at noon, local time, however they are sailing at speeds up up to 20kts in a similar strength breeze.

Dongfeng has emerged as the leg leader from MAPFRE and at the 0100UTC report Team Brunel was 8nm behind. As the most southerly boat and therefore nearest to the mark, Dongfeng as showing the best VMG, however interestingly she has the lowest 24hr run distance – having sailed 78.9nm in in 15hours, with Turn the Tide on Plastic and SHK Scallywag achieving over 90nm in the same period – clearly having sailed a less effective course.

Further updates to follow.

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 1 on board Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag. ‘Snakes and ladders’ David Witt on the wheel as the sun sets on the first night. 21 June, . – photo © Konrad Frost / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 1 on board Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag. Doesn’t get closer than this. 21 June, . – photo © Konrad Frost / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 01 on board Dongfeng. Horasce at the front sheet. 21 June, . – photo © Martin Keruzore / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 01 on board Dongfeng. 21 June – photo © Martin Keruzore / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 01 on board Vestas 11th Hour. 21 June, . The team happy to be back racing for the final leg. – photo © Jeremie Lecaudey / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 01 on board MAPFRE. 21 June, . – photo © Ugo Fonolla / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 01 on board Turn the Tide on Plastic. MAPFRE overtake. 21 June, . – photo © Rich Edwards / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 01 on board Vestas 11th Hour. 21 June, . – photo © Jeremie Lecaudey / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 1 on board AkzoNobel. 21 June, . – photo © James Blake / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 2 on board AkzoNobel. 22 June, . Brunel in the distance – photo © James Blake / Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 01 on board Vestas 11th Hour. 21 June, . – photo © Jeremie Lecaudey / Volvo Ocean Race

Story by Richard Gladwell for sail-world