A tough race around the Isle of Wight, the classic Rolex Fastnet Race, a fast sprint from Plymouth to Saint-Malo and a nerve-wracking doldrums poker from Saint-Malo to Lisbon - these four legs have formed the so-called "Leg Zero", which served the seven Volvo Ocean Race teams until this morning for intensive preparation and for a first exchange of blows on the way to the starting line of the 13th edition of the ocean marathon around the world.
The overall winner was skipper Xabi Fernandez's Spanish team Mapfre, ahead of Charles Caudrelier's Dongfeng Race Team and Bouwe Bekking's Team Brunel. Fernandez's conclusion: "I believe that Dongfeng is well prepared. They have also worked hard all winter. New teams like AkzoNobel grow together with some good experience and improve every day they sail together. Team Brunel has a good mix and is very experienced. They will be very strong."
In the early hours of 16 August, it was finally Charlie Enright's team Vestas 11th Hour Racing that came out on top in the final sprint to Lisbon, moving up to fifth place in the final Leg Zero standings behind the second Dutch team AkzoNobel and ahead of Dee Caffari's Turn the Tide on Plastic campaign and outsider Sun Hung Kai Scallyway. The latter's skipper said: "Mapfre dominated and showed everyone how strong they are. They have set the bar high for us all to reach."
With Mapfre, Olympic and America's Cup winner Blair Tuke also took the lead in the long-distance duel with his helmsman and friend Peter Burling. Burling, who only joined his Dutch team Brunel after the Fastnet Race, is currently gaining his first intensive offshore experience on board a VO-65 yacht.
The victories on the four legs of "Leg Zero" were secured by three different teams - which speaks for a close and exciting course of the Volvo Ocean Race, which starts on 22 October in the first leg from Alicante to Lisbon.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
