Dongfeng fights back
Light winds frustrated the Volvo fleet, reports Duncan Johnstone.
Chinese entry Dongfeng Race Team came from last to win a slow-paced Auckland in-port race, as the round-the-world yachts battled a lack of wind in the City of Sails yesterday.
One of three Volvo Ocean Race yachts squeezed off the start line by a stalled Team Brunel under the helm work of Peter Burling and a risky late move by Scallywag, Dongfeng had to go back and start again.
But Charles Caudrelier’s crew, which included Kiwi Daryl Wislang, started a slow fightback over the four legs sailed in one-seven knots on the Waitemata Harbour.
They eventually nipped past the in-form Dutch entry AkzoNobel at the third gate, gaining a 26sec lead they extended to 1:10 on the downwind run to the finish line on a course that was shortened, as a frustrating lack of wind plagued the seven boats.
Blair Tuke’s Mapfre were first across the start line, but in the end had to settle for third, more than four minutes off the pace.
They were victims of the conditions at times, literally powerless to defend themselves from the encroaching pack, who came at them from both sides of the course on a first leg that took around 25min to complete.
Burling’s Team Brunel eventually finished fifth, not helped by a penalty for interference on the penultimate leg.
Dongfeng have now won three of the six in-port races, but still trail Mapfre by three points in this separate series.
The in-port series has importance – teams that are tied on the main scoreboard will have their inport scores used to separate them.
Frenchman Caudrelier was
It was very tricky, very difficult. We had one of the worst starts.
delighted with the Auckland performance, especially after the embarrassment of finishing last in front of his sponsors in Guangzhou.
‘‘It was very tricky, very difficult. We had one of the worst starts,’’ he said, adding it wasn’t always best