Abu Dhabi: Dongfeng Race Team edged overall Volvo Ocean Race leaders Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing by just three minutes and 25 seconds to win Leg 6 to Newport, Rhode Island, after an enthralling duel on Wednesday and Thursday.
The result cut the Emirati boat’s lead over the Chinese-backed challengers to six points and marked a fantastic comeback for skipper Charles Caudrelier and his crew after they were forced to pull out of the previous leg to Itajaí because of a broken mast.
The French skipper paid tribute to his shore crew, who fitted a new rig in under a week in Brazil and prepared the boat for the 5,010-nautical mile (nm) next stage through the Atlantic.
“For this leg, the goal was to be ready in Itajaí and the [shore] crew did a fantastic job. I’d like to give them the victory,” said Caudrelier.
“I’m very proud of them and very happy to take this first place. They worked very hard to get this boat ready. I’m really, really happy.”
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing made Caudrelier and his men work all the way for the win after 17 days at sea and even threatened to overturn their lead as they passed Block Island 30nm from the finish.
“We were within a couple of lengths of getting over them at Block Island — literally three or four boat lengths from rolling them — but they held on and dug deep. It’s a very well-deserved win,” said skipper Ian Walker.
Caudrelier’s hopes of bouncing back for the triumph had looked in serious jeopardy just two days into the leg, which started on April 19, when the electronic water-maker, which converts seawater into drinking water, broke down.
He said if his crew had not been able to repair it, they would have had to make a 12-hour stop.
“We wouldn’t have had to retire, but we would have had to stop and fix it. When you stop in this race, you see the difference between the boats, and that means the leg is over because it means you lose at least 12 hours,” said Caudrelier, whose boat finished in an elapsed time of 17 days, nine hours and three minutes.
“That would have meant another leg where we would have finished last.”
Dutch challengers Team Brunel finished just over 55 minutes behind Dongfeng to claim the final podium spot.
Mapfre followed Team Brunel home in fourth spot, with Team Alvimedica heading for a hometown welcome in fifth place ahead of Team SCA, who were expected to finish later on Thursday.
