As reported, the six teams will be sent on the 5,220-mile stage from Sanya to Auckland after a delay due to dangerous weather conditions in the South China Sea. The time specified by the organisers is midnight Central European Time. The boats are sent off one after the other, in the order and with the time intervals determined at the "pre-start". In light to medium winds, the fleet sailed a 43-mile race in the Bay of Sanya, which was won almost as expected by Telefónica. Groupma followed with a gap of two minutes and 34 seconds, ahead of Abu Dhabi, who were a further minute behind. Then Sanya with seven and a half and Camper with a gap of just over nine minutes. Iker Martinez and his team sailed exactly as favourites should: conservatively and opportunistically. As a result, the Spaniards were always on hand to capitalise on the others' penalties or tactical errors.
The role of tragic hero once again fell to Puma, who were a whopping 39 minutes behind after leading for miles and looking like the sure winners. But on the last leg of the course towards the marina, they were the only boat to choose a course further out, a decision that was to take its revenge. They fell into a wind hole and had to stand idly by and watch as the entire field passed them by. "Rarely have I seen something go so badly wrong that started so well," said frustrated skipper Ken Read. "We were two miles in front and parked in a hole. We were stuck there for an hour and a half. It was maddening."
According to the weather service, conditions are improving along the course to New Zealand, whose first bottleneck is the notorious Strait of Luzon. The wind has eased and is forecast to shift to the east, but confused waves will make the first 700 miles anything but pleasant, after which the tacticians will have to find the north-east trade wind as quickly as possible, which should not only bring strong winds but also favourable sailing angles. At least until the field dives into the doldrums of the South Pacific convergence zone, where the race may then be restarted.
The start times:
First part 4th stage
Team Telefónica: 0:00 CET
Groupama Sailing Team: 0:02:34
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing: 0:03:36
Team Sanya: 0:07:32
Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand: 0:09:13
Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg: 0:39:17
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