The 13th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race is inexorably drawing to a close. The harbour race off Cardiff on Friday was all about important points for the inshore classification, which becomes relevant as a tiebreaker if two or more teams are tied on points at the end of the race around the world. In the one-hour race, AkzoNobel initially took command. The Danish match racer and watch leader Nicolai Sehested positioned the Dutch boat well after the start and rounded the first turning mark with an eight-second lead over Dongfeng Race Team, which was already pushing from behind at the time.
While Charlie Enright's Vestas 11th Hour Racing team at the back of the field initially had to clear up after a narrow early start and chase after the fleet, it was Simeon Tienpont's AkzoNobel team in the leading group that led the race for two and a half laps, but was then passed back boat by boat after mistakes of its own.
After an almost flawless performance, Dongfeng crossed the finish line 49 seconds ahead of Xabí Fernandez' Team Mapfre, which turned sixth place at the first turning point into a silver finish. Bouwe Bekking's Team Brunel appeared somewhat inconsistent, having caught a 47-second gap to the leaders between the first and second mark, but occasionally managed to close the gap to the leading boat to 35 seconds, but had to be satisfied with third place and a 1:12-minute deficit at the finish.
In the end, the podium was occupied by the three teams that will fight for overall victory in the Volvo Ocean Race on the two remaining legs from Cardiff to Gothenburg and from Gothenburg to the finish harbour of The Hague: Dongfeng, Mapfre and Brunel. The tenth of the eleven legs begins on Sunday at 16.45 German time and will be broadcast live here.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
