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Treacherous seas ahead for Volvo Ocean Race

The six competing Volvo Ocean Race boats set sail on Leg 4 of the 38,739 nautical mile (nm) adventure to Auckland, New Zealand on 8 February, following a glorious win for the Dongfeng Race Team in their home port of Sanya.

The boats are now on the treacherous journey to New Zealand’s ‘City of Sails’; described as possibly the toughest stage of the race so far in terms of sea conditions, especially in the South China Sea.

They are expected to arrive in Auckland in around three and a half weeks’ time at the beginning of March, where they will have a much-deserved rest before setting off on Leg 5 of the race to Itajai, Brazil.

Race results

Donfeng Race Team is currently overall leader, having not only made race history by becoming the first Chinese-backed crew to win a leg of the race – the third stage from Abu Dhabi to China – but they were also the first to win an in-port race too in front of a cheering, local crowd. 

Hot on their heels just one point behind on the scoreboard is Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, who won Leg 1 of the race and also secured a top three place in Leg 2 and Leg 3. They are closely followed by Team Brunel in third; winners of the second stage of the race.

Throughout the 5,264 nm leg to Auckland, all the teams will be able to rely on Inmarsat for cutting-edge safety services and vessel tracking. As the official Satellite Communications Partner for the Volvo Ocean Race, Inmarsat will also be making audio and video communications as well as social media access possible for the Onboard Reporters (OBRs), to enable them to bring the race alive to millions of fans following it worldwide.

Each Volvo Ocean 65 boat is equipped with FleetBroadband 500 (FB500), FleetBroadband 250 (FB250) and Inmarsat C safety terminals, and has an IsatPhone 2 satellite phone stowed in its liferaft pack.