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Christmas Double for MAPFRE

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The Spanish Volvo Ocean Race team MAPFRE has won Leg 3 from Cape Town, South Africa to Melbourne, Australia, a 6,500 nautical mile dive into the fierce challenges posed by the Southern Ocean.

For the second consecutive leg, MAPFRE needed to come from behind to earn the victory. And for the second time in a row, it was Dongfeng Race Team they passed mid-stage, to snatch the win.

“We had to fight very hard for this victory,” skipper Xabi Fernández said moments after crossing the finish line. “There’s so much of the race to go. But for now it’s looking good and we’re very happy of course.”

The Southern Ocean pushed the teams to the limit. Extreme cold, storm force winds for days on end and towering seas posed massive seamanship challenges, let alone allowing for racing and tactics.

But of all the teams on Leg 3, MAPFRE had the highest work rate in terms of manoeuvres, which allowed them to stay in more favourable conditions for longer than their opposition. It was a powerful statement by a very strong crew.

“The strongest point for this team is the group of people we have,” Fernandez acknowledged. “They are so good and give us so much and have been working so hard on this leg. It was so tough, but it’s all gone perfect. Now we have a few days for recovery and we can get ready for the next one.”

MAPFRE started Leg 3 already atop the leaderboard, with a one point lead over Leg 1 winner Vestas 11th Hour Racing. But as this first Southern Ocean challenge is worth double points, the team will now open up a more comfortable margin – at least six points – depending on the finishing position of the chasing boats.

Dongfeng Race Team is currently in second place, trying to nurse home a boat with a damaged keel system. But at 1630 UTC, Charles Caudrelier’s team had 45 miles to go with a 30 mile lead over Vestas 11th Hour Racing who in turn were fighting off a late charge by Team Brunel, a further 20 miles adrift.

Leg 3 – Provisional Results –at Sunday 24 December (Leg 3, Day 15) at 16:15 UTC

1. MAPFRE — FINISHED — 16:07.21 UTC – 14 days, 04h:07m:21s
2. Dongfeng Race Team — RACING
3. Vestas 11th Hour Racing — RACING
4. Team Brunel — RACING
5. team AkzoNobel — RACING
6. Turn the Tide on Plastic — RACING
7. Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag — RACING

Volvo Ocean Race – Current Leaderboard

1. MAPFRE — FINISHED — 29 points (after Leg 3)
2. Vestas 11th Hour Racing — RACING — 13 points (after Leg 2)
3. Dongfeng Race Team — RACING — 11 points (after Leg 2)
4. team AkzoNobel — RACING — 7 points (after Leg 1)
5. Team Brunel — RACING — 6 points (after Leg 2)
6. Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag — RACING — 5 points (after Leg 2)
7. Turn the Tide on Plastic — RACING — 2 points (after Leg 2)

WHY? It is a little known fact that Port Elizabeth has been approached TWICE to bid on becoming a stopover for the Volvo Ocean Race – the first attempt was stopped by our local Port Authorities and we await the outcome of the second. The home of Volvo Cars is Gothenburg – the second-largest city in Sweden which is twinned with Nelson Mandela Bay and which has provided incredible support and promotion for our Metropole.

MyPE is running a series of articles about the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race to: 1. Acknowledge and thank Gothenburg for their support, 2. Showcase a sport that Alan Straton is passionate about, 3. Demonstrate to citizens of Port Elizabeth just how much exposure a city like Cape Town receives from the VOR and 4. As a gentle reminder to the TNPA and our city of the great value that such an event can bring to our city.

The start city of the VOR – Alicante, Spain – estimates the economic value of each leg to be R960 Million. Click here to read very Volvo Ocean Race published on MyPE.

The local Algoa Bay Yacht Club has hosted many international sailing regattas, the most recent being the 60th 5O5 World Championships and, along with requests from the Volvo Ocean Race, have also recently been asked to host the 2019 stopover for the Clipper Around the World Yacht Race.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.