There is still high tension in the final sprint of stage 8. Bouwe Bekking's team Brunel is still defending the lead they fought for on May 1st on the Newport course. In the morning the front said goodbye, which once again physically challenged all teams with winds of up to almost 40 knots. The mileage winner for the last 48 hours is David Witt's team Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag. The bottom of the fleet has reduced its deficit by more than 100 nautical miles, but is still sailing behind the leading group with almost 100 nautical miles behind and should hardly have any more chances to intervene in the battle for the podium places.
Front runner Brunel shows pictures of the encounter with the front in the final spurt. Can Bouwe Bekking's team defend the lead right into the port?
The front shortly before reaching the port of destination brought back memories of the images from the Southern Ocean
Team Brunel, Charles Caudrelier's Dongfeng Race Team and the Spanish Team Mapfre, who fought their way back from penultimate place to third position, are fighting for the stage win and have now come very close to the Donfeng Race Team, which is leading in the overall standings. It is even possible that the teams in the east, Turn the Tide on Plastic, Vestas 11th Hour Racing and AkzoNobel, can still intervene in the battle for the podium. However, AkzoNobel had accumulated almost 60 nautical miles behind the compatriots from Team Brunel on Monday afternoon. AkzoNobel was separated from Vestas in 5th place by more nautical miles than from David Witt's strongly emerging team Sun Hung Kai Scallywag. The decisions will probably only be made in the last nautical miles. The organizers are expecting the first rounds of the finish line early Tuesday morning between 5.30 a.m. and 8.30 p.m. German time.
Charles Caudrelier's Dongfeng Race Team chases the leading Team Brunel on the Newport course
Night shift in the Dongfeng Race Team: The French-Chinese team has also switched to inshore mode, with all sailors permanently on standby
Mapfre's race to catch up has catapulted the Spaniards back into the top three
Guillermo Altadill's son Willy on duty for the Spanish team Mapfre
"With us on board there is maximum stress," said Dongfeng skipper Charles Caudrelier in the final sprint. At the same time, the man, who is fighting for the first overall victory on his third start, stated that his team felt comfortable in the role of the hunter. How the test of strength turns out will be seen in less than 20 hours.