After 8 months and over 45,000 nautical miles, it all came down to the final hour – the closest finish in the history of the Volvo Ocean Race. MAPFRE, Team Brunel and Dongfeng Race Team were tied on the leaderboard going into the 11th and final leg. Having each held the top position throughout the race, it all came down to the 970-mile sprint from Gothenburg to The Hague. Ultimately, it was Dongfeng Race Team whose skipper Charles Caudrelier and crew who made a daring decision to take a tight coastal route that allowed them to grab their first leg win and overall victory. After initially falling behind, it was the final hours that saw their decision pay off resulting in a come from behind win. In doing so, Dongfeng’s Carolijn Brouwer and Marie Riou became the first women sailors to win the prestigious event in its 45-year history.

AkzoNobel was 2nd into The Hague, a mere 15 minutes behind Dongfeng to claim 4th place overall. It was a strong finish from skipper Simeon Tienpont and crew to cap off a great performance throughout the race.

Zhik would like to thank our partners in AkzoNobel and Dongfeng for working with us to develop the best range of offshore sailing gear, all the crews for a captivating race and its thrilling conclusion and especially Dongfeng for their gutsy win amongst an incredibly talented field. Enjoy your success!

The rest of the week will see activities in The Hague building towards the final In-Port Race and Awards Night on June 30.

 

Volvo Ocean Race Leg 11 Final Leaderboard -- Saturday 23 June

1. Dongfeng Race Team – 3 days, 3 hours, 22 minutes, 32 seconds

2. team AkzoNobel – 3 days, 3 hours, 38 minutes, 31 seconds

3. MAPFRE – 3 days, 3 hours, 39 minutes, 25 seconds

4. Team Brunel – 3 days, 3 hours, 45 minutes, 52 seconds

5. Turn the Tide on Plastic – 3 days, 3 hours, 56 minutes, 56 seconds

6. SHK / Scallywag – 3 days, 4 hours, 01 minutes, 32 seconds

7. Vestas 11th Hour Racing – 3 days, 4 hours, 05 minutes, 36 seconds

 

Volvo Ocean Race Overall Points Leaderboard after Leg 11

1. Dongfeng Race Team – 73 points

2. MAPFRE – 70 points

3. Team Brunel – 69 points

4. team AkzoNobel – 59 points

5. Vestas 11th Hour Racing – 39 points

6. SHK / Scallywag – 32 points *

7. Turn the Tide on Plastic – 32 points *

* Should there be a tie on the overall race leaderboard at the end of the offshore legs, the In-Port Race Series standings will be used to break the tie.