Team Telefonica Make the Call

Photo: Paul Todd

Telefónica were pressing early leaders PUMA hard as the crews settled into their watch systems on the first night of the crucial eighth leg from Lisbon to Lorient on Sunday.

As they raced 120 nautical miles northwest of Cabo de São Vicente in 13-14 knots of north-northwesterly breeze, there was little to split the main pack of boats, with Telefónica neck and neck with Ken Read's in-form team at the front.

Telefónica are in need of a good result after losing their lead at the end of Leg 7 and then spilling another five points in the Oeiras In-Port Race to Groupama, who now have an eight-point advantage at the top.

Abu Dhabi were seven miles to the north of the main bunch, which also includes CAMPER and Groupama, and were up with the leaders in terms of distance to the São Miguel waypoint. Team Sanya were at the rear of the fleet. 

The fleet is expected to compress in the approach to São Miguel island in the Azores, which they will round before heading to France on a leg that could last as little as six days.

Once round the island, they will feel the effects of a low pressure system which, as it moves east, could throw up westerly breeze of up to 40 knots and a huge sea state.

CAMPER -- 23 points behind the leaders and one of four teams still in with a chance of overall victory -- were pleased to get away from Lisbon with a small lead over Groupama, though the French team have every opportunity to make up lost ground in conditions that suit their boat ideally.

“It was a pretty nice start actually, and good to get out in good shape," said skipper Chris Nicholson.

"Probably in this jib reaching stuff the other guys will reel us in eventually. Groupama were probably two miles back and you just never know, that two miles might count at the finish."