LEG 5 AUCKLAND TO ITAJAI

THE START OF LEG 5

Leg 5 of the Volvo ocean Race Auckland to Itajai is underway. The route will take the fleet through the cold Southern Ocean toward the ice exclusion line. Seas are rough and winds are strong. 

Final goodbyes before the cold and the wet of the Southern Ocean.

Dongfeng with the city of Auckland in the background

Preparations before the start of the Auckland to Itajai Race

The race is about to commence

The start of leg 5, the Auckland to Itajai race.

Dongfeng heading out to high seas.

The girls may be last but they are determined and consident

The city of Auckland in the background.

And they're off to Itajai

Final strategies to win the race

Fully loaded with hardly any space to walk

Enjoying the calm while it lasts.

Forty winks before the fun starts.

The angry east cape seas

Icy foam and froth of the sea chilling the bones of the crew.

Elodie Mettraux fast asleep without a care in the world

At least Command centre is dry and perhaps even cosy.

Two albatrosses following the girls. 

The girls mounting the radar / satellite system.

AUCKLAND STOPOVER

AUCKLAND STOPOVER

Finally leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race has come to an end. The girls of team SCA showed up the men's teams by winning leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race - Sanya to Auckland. Well done ladies. Spectators attended to Race Expo enmass and it appears that the displays in Auckland are somewhat different from what we became accustomed to in the previous 3 legs. 

The farewell ceremony was postponed due to  cyclone Pam. The In-Port race was a huge success and the teams were making preparations to leave for Leg 5.

Jandir Bellini Mayor of Auckland & Mayor of Itajai exchanging gifts at the Auckland Farewell Ceremony

The race displays were somewhat differnt from that of the first 3 legs.

The boatyard

View the size of the bus on the bridge

Getting read for the Herald In-Port Race

The In-Port Race 

Repairs after the In-Port Race before the Auckland to Itajai Race

Nothing a bit of epoxy can't fix. In preparation for the Auckland to Itajai Race

AUCKLAND OVER THE HORIZON

100 NAUTICAL MILES TO GO

The first sight of Dongfeng at sunrise this morning but still approximately 100 nautical miles from the finish line. Unfortunately as much as Wolf desired Team Dongfeng to stay at the forefront of Leg 4 until the race ends, Mapfre has taken the lead position.

Kevin Escoffier of the Dongfeng race team keeping an eye on the competition.

SCA Leader of the fleet racing to Auckland - So just wake me when we get there.

AUCKLAND RACE VILLAGE EXPO

AUCKLAND RACE VILLAGE OPENS TOMORROW

Friday the 27 February marks the day that the Auckland Race village is open to the public. For a good idea of what the exhibitions will look like, do page through some of the older blogs especially the Cape Town Expo, to see the various displays, events and activities. As can be seen, the Volvo Ocean Race villages are meant to be deliver a uniform experience throughout the race, but the culture of each specific city gives it a completely different charm. Abu Dhabi delivered a different experience from Sanya and so will Auckland. Kiwi culture is interesting and exciting and they take their sports seriously, especially water sport. The Ocean Race fleet is due to arrive from Saturday onwards. Today is the 17th day of the  Sanya to Auckland Volvo Ocean Race, and Dongfeng Team has once again snatched the lead position from Team Abu Dhabi. They have been rubber banding for position between Mapfre and Abu Dhabi for the past two weeks. However, it is Wolf desire, as indicated on his placard below, that they stay in the lead for the rest of the leg but most probably for the rest of the race. It would be the most amazing thing if Dongfeng won Leg 4 of the Volvo ocean Race as well considering it's  Charles Caudrelier’ birthday today. Lets keep our fingers crossed for the Chinese team.  Theses some great pics of leg 4 below.

Auckland by night.

Enthusiastic Wolf.

Aerial view of Auckland City.

LEG 4 SANYA TO AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND

VOLVO OCEAN RACE LEG 4

The Sanya to Auckland race started of with a bang. Lots of jubilation and lots of fun.  Since Dongfeng won the previous leg, it had a edge to the rest of the fleet and hence once again the leader of the pack. When the fleet approached the  north coast of the Philoppines Islands they split into two groups. Abu Dhabi, Alvimedica and Dongfeng were in the one group that sailed towards the Philoppines  and along its coast. Whereas Mapfre, Brunel and Team SCA in the group veered off and sailed north east towards the south coast of Taiwan where they experienced better wind conditions than the Dongfeng group. This was a turning point in the race for everyone. Abu Dhabi immediately took the lead from Dongfeng which was quickly snatched by Mapfre. This all happened just 10 days ago. Each team taking the lead for a short while from another.  Within the last 4 days Brunel took the lead and thats where it stayed. It is the 12th day of leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race and the fleet has reached the halfway mark of Leg 4 of the Sanya to Auckland Volvo Ocean Race through the North Pacific Ocean enroute the South Pacific Ocean.  Currently Abu Dhabi is in second position, followed by Team Mapfre, then Team Alvimedica followed by Dongfeng. Dongfeng is in fifth place as they reach the Bismarch Sea with its multitude of little islands. Soon the fleet will be sail through the Solomon Sea then into the Coral Sea. The fleet is due to reach Auckland, New Zealand on the last day of February.

Mapfre taking strain

Dongfeng 

Team Abu Dhabi hard at work.

Auckland New Zealand.