Abu Dhabi: Team Alvimedica made a triumphant entry into The Hague on Friday morning to put themselves in pole position to win Leg 9 of the Volvo Ocean Race.
The Turkish/American team still have 480 nautical miles (nm) of the final leg of the nine-month offshore marathon to negotiate to Gothenburg, Sweden, having sailed two days, eight hours and 34 minutes since leaving Lorient, France, on Tuesday.
That gave them a 26nm advantage over the second-placed boat, Dongfeng Race Team, which finished in second more than 1hr 45mins behind.
“It always feels good going into the locker room at half-time ahead, but that’s all it really is. It’s kind of like Cape Horn, no points but still a great accomplishment,” said Team Alvimedica skipper Charlie Enright.
Enright, 30, the youngest skipper by far in the race, also led his team to the Cape Horn landmark ahead of the fleet on Leg 5, but relinquished that lead and eventually finished third.
If Team Alvimedica can complete the job and win in Gothenburg, they would be the sixth of seven boats in the competition to have won a leg in this 12th edition.
They have already shown their top form, winning the Lorient In-Port Race at the weekend, for their second success of the in-port series.
“It sounds like there’s a fight [behind us]. It’s nice to be watching it and over the line,” he added.
They will head out of The Hague at on Saturday with their 1hr 46min 29sec advantage over Dongfeng Race Team and the rest of the fleet also taking their advantages and deficits over their rivals, in a staggered start.
The seven boats are due to finish the leg in Gothenburg on Monday afternoon.
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing sailed serenely on to claim fifth place in The Hague, having avoided any major problems on the first half of Leg 9.
They have an unassailable eight-point advantage over Team Brunel at the top of the overall standings.
If the current positions stay as they are, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing would have 24 points, Team Brunel and Dongfeng Race Team 31 apiece, MAPFRE and Team Alvimedica 34 each, Team SCA 51 and Team Vestas Wind 60.
