Team Brunel in stealth mode in Volvo Ocean Race Leg 4

Volvo Ocean Race Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 16 on board Brunel, Gybe - Team Brunel in stealth mode © Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race

In the decisive stage of Leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race, Team Brunel has gone in Stealth Mode. With another 750 nautical miles to the finish in Hong Kong, the position of the team is not visible to opponents and fans for three position reports. Once the leading boat on a leg is within 200 nautical miles of the finish line, Stealth Mode is over for all boats.

Team Brunel was in sixth position when it decided to activate Stealth Mode just after 08.00 UTC this morning. The difference with number seven Turn the Tide on Plastic was just over 10 nautical miles. The distance to Mapfre, sailing in fifth position, is about 45 nautical miles and seems to big with just over 700 nautical miles to go for the number five.

Skipper Bouwe Bekking: "We are going into Stealth Mode, but I can imagine that the rest and certainly Turn the Tide on Plastic is also doing this at this stage. One disadvantage we have is that Turn the Tide's AIS is not working. We know that from the day we sailed close together. So we can't see them even when we are getting close during the night. Unless we spot their navigation lights. Most likely they still can see us on AIS, so they can anticipate on our moves during the dark hours."

Exciting last 48 hours

The fleet awaits a tactical choice in this final phase of Leg 4 from Melbourne to Hong Kong.

Bekking: "If we go to the top of the Philippines, there are two options. You can stay at the coast or go offshore. If you go close to the coast there will be acceleration of the breeze and favourable current, but there are also lots of obstacles in the form of small islands and fishing boats. That means a lot of gybing and we know that can be costly."

"If you really go offshore, you know that there is less breeze and less favourable current, but you get the windshift first and you have a better angle for the approach going in to Hong Kong. For sure it will be an interesting last 48 hours.

Volvo Ocean Race Leg 4, Melbourne to Hong Kong, day 15 on board Brunel - Bekking behind the navigation station - photo © Yann Riou / Volvo Ocean Race

Position report 18-01-2017 - 07.00 UTC

1. Team Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag - Stealth Mode
2. Vestas 11th Hour Racing - Stealth Mode
3. Team AkzoNobel - Stealth Mode
4. Dongfeng Race Team
5. Mapfre
6. Team Brunel - Stealth Mode
7. Turn the Tide on Plastic

Tracker live with four boats in Stealth Mode

With less than 48 hours to the finish for the leaders in this leg, the Volvo Ocean Race tracker is live. At the moment there are no less than four boats in Stealth Mode: Team Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag, Vestas 11th Hour Racing, Team AkzoNobel and Team Brunel.