Volvo Ocean Race: SCA women in a speed rush

After almost 15 days at sea, the SCA women were the fastest to head south on Sunday morning with a current average speed of 18.8 knots. Their motivation boost: the team around skipper Sam Davies had left the Spanish Mapfre crew behind overnight and handed the red lantern of the tail light to the men around skipper Iker Martinez. They had opted for a course very close to the coast and paid dearly for it. However, this small stage success did not give the SCA team any reason for long-lasting satisfaction, as the gap between the pursuers and the leaders Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing and Team Brunel had increased again to over 140 nautical miles. With a gap of 55 nautical miles to Ian Walker's team from Abu Dhabi, the Danish team Vestas Wind had confidently defended its third place and once again increased the fleet's best 24-hour time to 419 nautical miles.

Several teams reported from on board that they were operating at a reasonably regular watch rhythm for the first time since the start in Alicante. The first two weeks had repeatedly required the crews to make special deployments due to the sometimes head-to-head races. However, the next big challenge already lies ahead of the seven crews: the St Helena High, which is constantly changing in shape and size like a giant jellyfish and has often had a decisive influence on the placings on this first leg in the past. The high blocks the boats' route to Cape Town. The navigators in particular now have to think about whether they can possibly get through without having to make major stops in the doldrums or whether they should take the longer but safer route around the high. One option for the navigators is to choose a more southerly course and get caught up in a small area of low pressure that is currently forming off Rio de Janeiro. Although more nautical miles would have to be travelled on this course, it offers the chance of travelling eastwards faster with the low-pressure area.

While the fleet will be at sea for another week or so on the second longest leg of the race around the world at 6,487 nautical miles, the first port of call, Cape Town, is preparing for the arrival of the sailors. The Race Village will open on 1 November. The home of almost four million people lies just north of the Cape of Good Hope and once again marks the first stopover of the most famous sailing regatta around the world.