Xabi Fernández and his team crossed the finish line at 08:29 h with a 7-nm advantage ahead of Dutch Team Brunel. The Spanish team completed the distance from Plymouth (UK) to the French port, in 18 hours 29 minutes and 50 seconds.
© Jen Edney/MAPFRE/Volvo Ocean Race
MAPFRE completed the Stage 3 of Leg 0 from Plymouth (England) to St. Malo (France), in 18 hours, 29 minutes and 50 seconds. The Spanish team, skippered by Xabi Fernández, were the first to cross the finish line at 08:29h on Friday 11th August, with an advantage of seven miles over the second-placed Team Brunel, skippered by Bouwe Bekking.
Once again, strategy was key, particularly for MAPFRE navigator Joan Vila, and the Spanish team, due to compete in the up-coming Volvo Ocean Race, rapidly moved into the lead.
Shortly after leaving the English port of Plymouth, Xabi Fernández and his crew opted south, sailing away from the coast, involving more miles and a head-on current, but stronger and stabler wind conditions. Vestas 11th Hour Racing and Turn The Tide On Plastic followed the same strategy, whilst the rest of the fleet remained hugged to the shore, and were forced to make a greater number of manoeuvres.
Three hours after the start, the fleet grouped back together in the Bay of Lyme, as they headed to the turning mark at the Needles, and MAPFRE had already gained a lead, with a clear seven to nine miles over their competitors. The Spanish VO65 kept a tight grip on the lead up until the last minute, to finally claim victory of this third Leg Zero qualifier.
MAFPRE thus remain at the top of the overall results board and head into the fourth and final event in Leg Zero on Sunday, determined to hold onto their lead. The final qualifier takes the fleet from St.Malo to Lisbon, and they are estimated to reach the Portuguese capital on Thursday 17th August early in the morning.
QUOTES…
Xabi Fernández (ESP)
After the start, the “flock” began to spread out. We opted to head outside, and once we had grouped back together, we had gained enough to be ahead and were sailing at a good speed.
An advantage like that over the fleet is really useful. You are less stressed, and with the relatively simple conditions we had, it was very different to the end of the ‘Fastnet’. But the other two races have also turned out well for us, so in general we are pretty happy.
Ñeti Cuervas-Mons (ESP)
The start was the key. We are all tired, but it was a calm leg. There weren’t many manoeuvres and it was more or less a straight line to the finish. Conditions were also quite calm, with about 15 knots, and a little more at the point where we got away from the others.
In the end it was crucial that we went south at the start, when most had opted to stay close to the coast. In theory we were sailing against a greater current, but we had more wind, so that is where we made up that six or seven-mile difference, and kept it up until the finish.
KEY DATA
Finish time: 08:29
Difference over second place (Team Brunel): 41m 7s
MAPFRE’s elapsed time: 18 h 29 m 50 s
RESULTS PLYMOUTH – ST. MALO
1 MAPFRE (ESP, Xabi Fernández) 18 h 29 m 50 s
2 Team Brunel (NED, Bouwe Bekking) 19 h 10 m 57 s
3 Dongfeng Race Team (CHN, Charles Caudrelier) 19 h 19 m 58 s
4 Vestas 11th Hour Racing (USA, Charlie Enright) 19 h 29 m 00 s
5 Team Akzonobel (NED, Simeon Tienpont) 19 h 32 m 59 s
6 Turn The Tide On Plastic (Dee Caffari) 20 h 35 m 30 s
7 Sun Hung Kai Scallywag (HKG, David Witt) 21 h 08 m 00 s
