LORIENT // Four boats, 960 nautical miles, six days sailing, one objective – to join Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ador) on the Volvo Ocean Racing podium.
That is the equation for four challengers after nearly 38,000nm of navigating some of the planet’s most treacherous seas over more than eight months of racing for sport’s longest challenge.
Ador's boat Azzam secured the overall trophy in Lorient after claiming their seventh podium position of the eight legs sailed.
Even if they finish last in the final leg, which began Tuesday and concludes in Gothenburg, Sweden, via a pit stop in The Hague, they still cannot be caught by their closest pursuers, Team Brunel, eight points behind them.
Bouwe Bekking, Brunel’s skipper, is keen to take that second step on the podium. But three other boats could finish ahead of the Dutch boat, who are on 27 points: Dongfeng Race Team (29 points), Mapfre (31) and Alvimedica (33).
Bekking would like nothing better than to sail into The Hague in his home country on Friday in the lead.
“It’s really all about Gothenburg,” he said. “It will be nice to finish first in Scheveningen (The Hague), but the points are only awarded in Gothenburg. That will be the big thing and I’ll try to keep the guys focused on that as much as possible.”
Dongfeng skipper Charles Caudrelier wants to deny his Dutch rival and round off a campaign that has already exceeded expectations with four rookie Chinese sailors in his ranks.
He said hitches with the on-board machine that converts sea to drinkable water, have been fixed. “We know the problem now, it shouldn’t be an issue again,” he said.
Mapfre skipper Iker Martínez is happy to be back at the helm and moving on from the off-course wrangles over three penalty points that were given for infringements on Leg 5 and Leg 7.
“Once we’re in the water it’s much easier for us,” he said. “We know how to manage our boat and go sailing.”
As for Charlie Enright, who has skippered the youngest crew in the race, a podium place would round off a race in which his team has continually improved.
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