Volvo Shake-up

With the two standout performers of the Volvo Ocean Race to date struggling from early on in Leg 6, it was all to play for, for the rest

After what has arguably been the most exciting leg of the of the event so far, Team AkzoNobel has taken first place in Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Hong Kong to Auckland.

This is the first win for the Dutch-flagged AkzoNobel team, who sailed the 6,344 miles from Hong Kong to Auckland in 20 days, 9 hours 17 minutes and 26 seconds. However the final miles were extremely tense as they only just managed to hold off a charging Scallywag, who sailed into Auckland just two minutes adrift to take second place.

“It’s been a 6,500 mile match race, it’s unreal,” said AkzoNobel skipper, Simeon Tienpont. “I’ve never sailed a race like this in my life. We’ve always been in each other’s sights. They were always there. It’s been neck and neck. Huge respect to Scallywag, they never stopped fighting and we never stopped defending. I’m so proud of our crew. They never flinched.”