One by one, the five VO-70 yachts were hoisted aboard a freighter at the secret location. Telefonica first and Abu Dhabi last, just as they had come in. For some, such as Puma or Abu Dhabi, this dangerous exercise is already part of their standard repertoire, as they (like Team Sanya) had already practised it on the first leg due to breakage.
This time, however, everyone volunteers to take part in the piggyback interlude, as the aim is to outwit the lurking pirates. And it all goes very quickly: the pictures carefully selected by the organisers only show the boats in partial shots; nothing is intended to give away their whereabouts. However, taut shrouds indicate that they have been loaded with the mast in place.
The transport ship is leaving today. The sailors and support teams are travelling separately and are not on board. The plan is to launch all the boats in the United Arab Emirates, outside the pirate zone, and then send them in a sprint to Abu Dhabi.
The Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team, currently in penultimate place, will be making a special effort to do well in front of their own fans. They were repeatedly in the lead on the first leg of the current leg, but were repeatedly slowed down by the wind and weather conditions. The crossing of the doldrums at the equator then proved unsuccessful and the chances of a place in the sun in the intermediate classification were lost. But at least the mast held.
Team Sanya is still in Madagascar to re-stay the mast and has to finish the first leg at some point to at least get the points for sixth place. They will also get them for the In-Port Race in Abu Dhabi and the first part of the next leg, which leads to China and on which the piggyback game will be repeated, as they will be sailing through pirate territory again. The Sanya boys will probably miss the Coldplay New Year's concert in Abu Dhabi, but they hope that the extra shift will get their racer fit enough to get through the leg and they will be able to enter the "home harbour" of Sanya under their own steam.
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