VolvoOceanRace, pitstop has refreshed the teams for a prolongued End-Sprint to Gothenburg.

The Pitstop in The Hague, did not allow others than the sailing crew to make any repairs or stocking up on the Boas, so they are nicely lined up for the public to have a close look.

VOR Boats lined up in Scheveningen during Pitstop.

This Saturday starting with Alvimedica, the 1st boats to the pits area, will allow the Boats to sail on to the finish in Gothenburg and end the VolvoOceanRace 2014-2015 version, apart from the In-Port race on Saturday next week. 

The other boats will be released in sequence and with intervals matching the arrival in the pitstop area. We will have to see which boats suffered and which benefitted from the pitstop; not in time of re-start of course , but with different winds suddenly a huge advantage in Miles might have halved only.

Also to the North-West of the Netherelands, are a number of exclusion zones, some very long almost reaching to Jutland, Denmark. The navigators will also be very busy to sort out with the windsforecast, which slot between exclusion zones to choose. It could become a short, intense sprint to Gotherburg of about 450 Nm.

VolvoOceanRace 2014-2015 ONE & ONLY Pitstop.

It is a first in this VolvoOceanRace, a Pitstop. During the last Leg from Lorient to Gothenburg a 24+hrs Pitstop has to be made in The Hague, either to give some rest to the tired skippers and sailors or to honor the interest of Volvo in the Netherlands.

Alvimedica, first to make a Pitstop in The Hague

After a tricky first half of Leg 9, there was a large exclusion zone in the Channel, closing about 80% of the water and leaving only small stretches of water on either side close the White British cliffs and the French beaches  Alvimedica won the pitstop.
They will get out as first Boat starting Saturday 20 June from 1000 UTC , following in sequence by the other Boats, with a time interval for starting according to the arrival in the piistop.

Thus Alvimedica gets a nice 2hrs advance for the short stretch left till Gotherburg, and have a fair chance for Victory in this last Leg 9.

If there are no further changes in the order, it will be a very close call for the 2nd Overall postition.

Now, if the standings in Gothenburg are as in the pitstop:
1. AbuDhabi        -19 points with 5  brings 24 points  - winner Overall
2. Brunel            -27 points with 4 brings 31 points   - (depend on In-Port )
3. Dongfeng        -29 pionts with 2 brings 31 points   -(Brunel<>Dongfeng)
4. Maphre           -31 points with 3 brings 34 points   - (depend on In-Port)
5. Alvimedica       -33 points with 1 brings 34 points  - (Maphre<>Alvimedica)
6. SCA                -44 points with 7 brings 51 points   - 6th
7. Vestas             -54 points with 6 brings 60 points  - 7th

Now in the In-Port races , Brunel is 5 points ahead of Dongfeng, so a finish for Brunel as 5th will put Brunel on the 2nd place Overall.

Between the other two, Alvimedica is 2 points ahead of Maphre, so has to stay ahead of Maphre or allow Maphre just be in front of them, to secure the 4th place Overall.

The final Gothenburg In-Port race will be sailed on Saturday 27 June. 

See how important the results from the In-Port race can become.

VolvoOceanRace final LEG 9 well on its way to Gothenburg.

The final LEG 9 in the VolvoOceanRace started with a fierce battle in the waters of Lorient. Boats were clearly fighting for the starting positions once entering the Open Waters, as wind forecast was promising some difficulties in passing other boats.

Team Brunel sailed a master race and was clearly the winner to start the race in the big waters. Indeed they could hold the lead till the entrance to the Channel.

There Alvimedica, sailed a slightly different course, cutting right to the French coast and gaining the lead.  After that they could only extend their lead and Brunel was falling to forth place, enough to loose their potential 2nd Podium place.

 

VOR fleet split on the Channel exclusion zone going into the North Sea

This Leg has put too many exclusion zones in, such that the narrow waters of the Strait of Dover, has been forbidden for aobut 80% and only a 10% strip of water on either side is available for the VOR fleet.
However, this brings some challenges to the teams, as the channel exclusion zone, stretches from Caen to Rotterdam and allows no crossing once a side has been choosen and entered. 
In the image above , you can see 3 boats north and 4 boats south in the Channel. So I guess that the differences are not felt too big and some might expect the best of the Northern approach and some the Southern .

We will have to wait till the Boats reach the pit lane in front of The Hague, as the fleet will come together there again for a day rest in this short leg.