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Dongfeng clings to Ocean Race lead
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CHINESE pace-setter Dongfeng Race Team clung to a slim lead yesterday as the Volvo Ocean Race’s fourth leg looked set for a grandstand finish.
The overall leader held a narrow 2.7 nautical mile advantage over its closest pursuer, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, with Spain’s MAPFRE just 12.4nm adrift.
With a little less than 600nm to go to the fourth-stage destination, Auckland, the rest of the six-strong fleet were still in contention, between 20nm and 35nm further behind.
Rarely has a leg of this length — 5,264nm from Sanya, China, to New Zealand — been so closely contested in the 41-year history of the race. After nearly 18 days of head-to-head racing through the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean, Dongfeng’s French skipper Charles Caudrelier admitted he was feeling the pressure.
His boat started the leg with a one-point advantage over Abu Dhabi but had to bounce back from the serious breakage of a piece of mast equipment a week ago.
“Since last night, we re-took the lead again and with it, the pressure of being in front,” Caudrelier said. “To be in the lead after all the hard knocks we’ve taken on this leg is without doubt one of my, and the team’s proudest moments since the start of this race.”
The boats are expected to reach Auckland on Saturday afternoon local time.
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