AkzoNobel has won the Leg 6 VolvoOceanRace from HongKong to Auckland in an epic close battle in the last day along the NewZealand NE coast. The difference with the runner up Sun Hung Kai /Scallywag, was only some minutes. It is remarkable that the win in Leg 6, like the win in Leg 4 was earned by a Boat that made a bald separate strategy from the main fleet.
AkzoNobel and SunHungKai, both made a diversion straight after passing Taiwan, one that many said was a bad move. Ultimately, be it by consistent navigation of pure luck the winds were favourable for the two and around the dolldrums these boats were in the lead. In a close battle, with several lead changes it was ultimately AkzoNobel that took the Victory in Auckland.
The two red boats, Mapfre and Dongfeng, were seemingly battling each other rather than the Leg 6 fleet. They got lost in the Doldrums and were at the far end of the fleet. However they made a remarkable come back and managed to pass Turn the Tide on Plastic to a 3rd and 4th place respectively.
Turn the Tide on Plastic, sailed a very good race, and were some days in the lead and with the leaders in the last part of the Leg 6. It is a pity that the red boats could pass them in the last 20Nm of this Leg.
Brunel finished as last way back on the fleet. They made during a stealth mode a bold move , that brought them in the wrong winds. This navigation fault brought them in the end of the fleet with no way to recover the big loss.
The Overall scoreboard looks as follows
Next event will be the Auckland In-Port race on 10 March at 01:00 UTC
The VOR will continue with Leg 7 , Auckland to Itajai, starting on 18 March 01:00 UTC.
