Team Alvimedica eye in-port series podium finish after Lorient win as leaders Azzam finish third

TLORIENT // Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing extended their lead in the Volvo Ocean Race in-port series yesterday in this French town on the coast of Brittany.

The result sees the crew, who also hold an unassailable lead in the overall Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) series, top the in-port standings by six-points with just the Gothenburg leg to go.

The closely fought one-hour sprint saw Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s (Ador) Azzam in second place for most of the race before an unexpected windshift on the final leg dropped the Abu Dhabi boat to fourth.

It was Team Alvimedica who took the victory, serving up a perfectly constructed race as they selected the best wind. It was their second in-port race win and was set up from having left their rivals trailing in a delayed start.

The victory, which follows their triumph in the opening in-port race in Alicante eight months ago, bolsters the hopes of Charlie Enright’s crew to claim a much-coveted final podium finish in the series.

It will also boost their hopes of a top-three finish in the overall standings since the series also acts as a tiebreaker for the tightly contested second and third places in the offshore competition that concludes this month in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Mapfre were forced to run around the back of the fleet as the start came too early for them and they were immediately playing catch up.

Alvimedica had no such problems and sped away to the windier right side of the course.

Team SCA and Team Vestas Wind, who were first and second respectively in Leg 8 of the VOR from Lisbon to Lorient, went for the other side and were ordered to take penalty turns for failing to give rival boats space as they tacked.

Alvimedica cruised away untroubled at the head of the fleet, building their lead to about 300 metres, while the others fought it out for second place.

Azzam was heading the chasing pack by Leg 4 and intent on consolidating their position at the top of the overall in-port race standings.

Mapfre then steamed through the closing stages to snatch second from Ian Walker’s Ador crew, while Dongfeng Race Team also bypassed the Emirati boat, to leave them fourth.

Team SCA then won a three-way showdown for fifth, just ahead of Team Brunel with Team Vestas Wind taking seventh.

Team Alvimedica eye in-port series podium finish after Lorient win as leaders Azzam finish third

A second leg victory will also bolster their hopes of a top-three finish since the series also acts as a tie-breaker for the tightly contested second and third places.