The piggyback transporter with the five remaining VO-70 yachts on deck (Team Sanya is still repairing in Madagascar) made it safely through pirate territory and the Strait of Hormuz. The boats have now arrived in the Persian Gulf, which is currently sizzling with political tension. But despite all the rhetoric in the dispute over the nuclear sanctions against Iran and the possible retaliatory measures on the part of the regime there, which claims to control this sea area, the sailors are allowed to complete what is probably the most curious leg in the history of the Volvo Ocean Race. The restart is scheduled for Wednesday at 6am CET.
There are just under 100 miles to go and 20 per cent of the points to be awarded are at stake. The duel between Team Telefónica and Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand will take centre stage. The Kiwis will be doing everything they can to take revenge on the Spaniards for their narrow defeat in the first leg, which ended in an unknown location somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing will be equally motivated, as they will be keen to prove themselves in front of their home crowd after breaking their mast in the first leg, as this race has been anything but successful for them so far.
Franck Cammas and Groupama also had to make up for their fourth-place finish in the first part of the race, but first they had to hastily patch up some damage in the underwater area of the green and orange racer. "A small crack," said Cammas. "Annoying, but we try not to think about it too much. It's hardly going to slow us down."
The organisers want to capitalise on this cabaret-like remaining stage for publicity purposes. They are talking about the "most exciting sprint finish ever", which the yachts, now back in the water, will tackle off the Sharjah coast. They will first sail a short distance out into the Gulf before dropping onto a course parallel to the coast. At the end, a course mark must be rounded before heading directly to the finish in Abu Dhabi. With winds of 25 knots forecast, this long space sheet course should be a short and entertaining affair. The finish is expected between 12 and 1 pm CET.
More on the Event page and about the Live stream the YouTube channel and the apps for I-Phone and Android.
Current positions and distances in the Live tracker.
