#VOR - Dongfeng Race Team are retaining the lead they grabbed overnight from Vestas 11th Hour Racing. But with four Volvo Ocean Race boats within 11 nautical miles, it’s a tenuous lead at best.
Dongfeng skipper Charles Caudrelier pushed his crew hard, with the team completing at least six gybes overnight, significantly more than anyone else, in an effort to retain westward leverage on the leading pack.
From onboard reporter Jeremie Lecaudey: “‘I don't know where we’re going, but we’re going there!’ says Charles Caudrelier, skipper of Dongfeng, as he gets back inside the boat to check on the new weather report. The last few hours have been hectic, gybing from one pressure to another…
“Charles keeps checking behind the boat as if he was followed, to the right and suddenly up to check the clouds. He explains that you can read the different pressure coming in: ‘You don’t want rain, rain and wind don't work together…’”
Vestas 11th Hour Racing, who had the lead on Wednesday afternoon, had an agonising decision over how to protect that position.
“We’re the easternmost boat right now, we’ve had a good sked, but we’re feeling pretty exposed,” said navigator Simon Fisher. “The conservative thing to do would be to put a gybe in … it means giving up some of our lead, but in the fullness of time it’s the safer option.”
As of 11am this morning (Thursday 9 November), Vestas 11th Hour were 3.5nm behind the new leaders, with Team AkzoNovel and a speedy Team Brunel and MAPFRE jockeying for position between third and fifth.
