Team SCA Take In-Port Title As Cyclone Delays Start

The Team SCA girls must love inshore racing – after winning the In-Port Race in Abu Dhabi back in January, they won The New Zealand Herald In-Port Race Auckland as Cyclone Pam approaches.

They’re the first team to take two In-Port Race wins.

And they didn’t just win it, either. First to cross the start line in a light breeze, they gained early on in the race, sticking to the shore and rounding the first mark in first place. They kept the lead, leading the fleet under the iconic Harbour Bridge, and were first across the finish line.

“The City of Sails made a fantastic arena for us to race in today,” said an ecstatic Sam Davies on the dock, thanking the local crowds for their support.

“It was really, really hard, we learned in the practice race when we made a mistake.

And the skipper to add, “I’m really happy because it’s going to boost our team’s morale for the next two days, waiting for (the tropical cyclone) Pam to leave us some space to go to the Southern Ocean.”

Team Brunel and MAPFRE chased them all the way, finally taking second and third.

Dongfeng Race Team, who won the previous In-Port in Sanya, took fourth. With a surprising last minute move, Team Alvimedica overtook Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing one boat length from the finish line, finishing ahead by about two feet.

But no matter how tough the fight at the back, today’s triumph in the City of Sails is a magenta one. One that put big, wide smiles on the faces of Team SCA and boosted the spirits of the all-female crew ahead of Leg 5.

The New Zealand Herald In-Port Race Auckland results:

1. Team SCA 14:54:55 – 1pt
2. Team Brunel 14:55:15 – 2pts
3. MAPFRE 14:56:22 – 3pts 4.
Dongfeng Race Team 14:57:01 – 4pts
5. Team Alvimedica 14:57:25 – 5pts
6. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 14:57:26 – 6pts
7. Team Vestas Wind DNS – 8pts

In-Port Race overall standings:

1. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing – 14pts
2. Team Brunel – 14pts
3. Team SCA – 16pts
4. Dongfeng Race Team – 18pts
5. Team Alvimedica – 20pts
6. MAPFRE – 25 pts
7. Team Vestas Wind – 36pts

“Batten down!” screams the front page of The New Zealand Herald on Sunday.

“Devastating cyclone poised to unleash gales, flooding and damage on the North Island tonight.”

Dog-eared editions of the paper lie strewn across the Volvo Ocean Race media centre.

Step outside the ANZ Auckland Viaduct Events Centre and there’s a tension hanging in the air. A warm hum, an electric buzz. There’s no doubt – it’s coming.

And it’s coming fast. Almost 200km/hr at the last check, as it tore through the tropical island of Vanuatu, crumpling and ripping up houses and cars like pieces of waste paper.

Aid agencies who have descended upon the devastated area have said that this could turn out to be one of the worst disasters in Pacific Ocean history.

The worst of the storm is due to hit this sailing city in the early hours of Monday morning.

“There’s no doubt there’s a big storm coming over the next day,” says Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing skipper Ian Walker.

“For sure it’s the right decision to delay the fleet, nobody wants to send us out there to break boats, damage sails, or worse still, injure people.”

But despite the obvious dangers, delaying the Leg 5 hasn’t been an easy decision. The last few days has been an example of why we love sailing so much.

For its unpredictability, for its freedom, and for the total trust in your team mates, and your boat.

Shore crews have spent the last 24 hours securing the boats docked in these stormy waters – using whatever they can get their hands on to tie these racing machines down.

“The situation is different to what we’ve ever had before in the history of this race,” says Team Brunel navigator Andrew Cape.

With five of these races already under his belt, it’s fair to say that he’s seen some of the worst that Mother Nature has to offer.

“With a cyclone in the race course at departure time,” he continues, “you can’t send boats into it, it’s just ridiculous.

“It’s like driving on a greasy road – there are just some things you don’t do.”

As night falls on Cyclone Eve, rain pounds the pavement like watery soldiers on a march. It’s time for a battle with the elements.