Team Brunel wins monumental Volvo Ocean Race Leg 7
by Team Brunel 4 Apr 2018 11:42 BST
4 April 2018
Volvo Ocean Race Leg 7 from Auckland to Itajai. Arrivals © Ainhoa Sanchez / Volvo Ocean Race
Team Brunel got off to a late start with the preparations for the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-2018. A surprising mix of the best, young sailors from the America's Cup and Olympics, matched with the more experienced sailors.
In the most important moment, the tough leg from Auckland to Itajai, Team Brunel stepped up their game. The team of Dutch Skipper Bouwe Bekking won the monumental leg around Cape Horn and climbs to the third place in the overall standings.
Nail-biting finish
Team Brunel and Dongfeng had been battling it out ever since passing the Falkland Islands. The young team of Skipper Bouwe Bekking managed to stay ahead and grab the victory. It was a nail-biting final for the fans and the followers, but Bekking and his team stayed focused and defended their position all the way to the finish line.
They sailed across the finish with DongFeng just a mile behind them. There was no overly cheerful mood. Bekking addressed the press with a lump in his throat. Bekking: "The whole team are deeply touched by the loss of their opponent and fellow sailor, John Fisher, who went overboard last week on Team Sun Hung Kai/ Scallywag."
"Although we have won the leg, the team aren't in a mood to party, which is understandable. The loss of John Fisher has been felt deeply by everyone. Nevertheless, it was a great feeling to finish in first place."
Burling: it exceed all my expectations
World Sailor of the year Peter Burling (NZL) was relieved after the finish in Itajai. Burling: "It's good to finally have a good result. I felt we definitely made a lot of improvement since the start of the race. It's great that it all comes together in this one and incredible tough leg. It probably exceed all my expectations. We did just over 17 knots in a straight line, that's ridiculous considering the boats we're in. For now i'm happy to be back a-shore."
"The worst moment for me was obvious the e-mail we got about the incident with John Fisher. The mood onboard was depressed for a view days and actually it still is. I only can pay my condoleances to his family, friends and the rest of the Scallywag team."
Team performance
Bouwe Bekking passed the trophy straight to his young teammates. "They challenged us 'old-rots' continually. Engineered to move faster. Literally and as a figure of speech. This achievement is really a team-result. It's the balance we needed to find. Peter (Burling) always wants to push, sometimes too hard. But then we just convince him to push a little less. This win is a real team-effort!"
Besides praising the talented, young crewmembers, Bekking also specifically praised his experienced navigator, Andrew Cape. Bekking: "I know Cape has been criticised a lot, which in my opinion was not right. He has once again shown that he is one of the best navigators in the world."
The toughest legs in the history of the Volvo Ocean Race
It was one of the toughest legs in the history of the Volvo Ocean Race. In the Southern Ocean the wind was brutal and the waves immense. Unfortunately, this resulted in the tragic accident on Sun Hung Kai/ Scallywag. Afterwards, first Mapfre and then Vestas, damaged their masts. Mapfre has continued racing and is currently in fifth place. Vestas is currently on shore in the Falklands. Sun Hung Kai Scallywag have made their way to the Chilean coast, after the unsuccessful search for Fisher. Bekking: "In the entire Volvo Ocean Race we have never had a leg as tough as this one."
Team Brunel in third position in overall standings
Team Brunel has climbed to the third place in the overall standings, behind DongFeng Race Team, which has surpassed Mapfre. Bekking: "Two editions ago Telefonica was leading in Brazil and eventually ended the race in 4th. It all open, if you ask me. We're still aiming for the win and this is a good point to start looking up!"