It was on Wednesday night that Team SCA signed its first victory! The women's crew crossed the finish line in Lorient at 4 hours 11 minutes and 11 seconds. This short leg between Lisbon and Lorient was marked by the strong wind, but especially by the women's team taking control. This is the first time that Team SCA has won a leg since the start of the fleet on October 11. "It's huge for us to win this stage. Everyone who follows us knows how hard this race is and how hard it is to be on the podium." explained Sam Davies, just after his arrival. Indeed, Team SCA tended to finish the ranking even if the girls had good results in the In-Port.
Just after the start in Lisbon, the girls had taken the lead of the race and did not make any strategic mistake. It must be said that this victory was for them. As we explained in a previous article the women sailors are much more at ease upwind and this zone of navigation is particularly well known by Sam Davies.
" Thanks to everyone for the support. We just sailed like we know how. We were focused on sailing well. Given the conditions, a lot could have happened. The leg was short, but when you know you're going to encounter these kinds of conditions, you know it can be long. This is the reward for all the work we did. This is our first stage podium. It's huge for us to win this stage. Everyone who follows us knows how difficult this race is and how hard it is to be on the podium. We've been working for this for a long time. We have climbed mountains to get here. We said we wanted at least one podium. And this one is especially beautiful. Some of us live here. We are very happy to be home. It was hard. We had a lot of wind in the Bay of Biscay, up to 35 knots. A huge sea, facing the wind. The girls were incredible, even if some of them were a little bit sick, they kept on working" were the first words of Sam Davies, skipper of the pink boat, on his arrival in Brittany.
Team Vestas Wind, which was making its comeback in the race, 6 months after its grounding in the Indian reefs, signs here a beautiful victory. Indeed, the crew that was back on the sea with delight a few days ago in Lisbon, wins here the 2 e place by arriving at 4 h 59 min and 38 seconds. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing completes the podium and signs here its 7 " podium. Unless there is an accident, the victory of the Emirati team in Gothenburg seems assured.
Big disappointment for Dongfeng Race Team, who despite training in Lorient, came last in this leg. With this last place, the Franco-Chinese crew loses its 2nd place e place in the ranking to the benefit of Team Brunel.
Order of arrival of the boats in Lorient
| 1 | Team SCA | 04:11:11 |
| 2 | Team Vestas Wind | 04:59:38 |
| 3 | Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing | 05:05:17 |
| 4 | MAPFRE | 05:09:51 |
| 5 | Team Brunel | 05:18:17 |
| 6 | Team Alvimedica | 05:22:11 |
| 7 | Dongfeng Race Team | 05:37:46 |
Provisional general ranking
| 1 | Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing | 19 |
| 2 | Team Brunel | 27 |
| 3 | Dongfeng Race Team | 29 |
| 4 | MAPFRE | 31 |
| 5 | Team Alvimedica | 33 |
| 6 | Team SCA | 44 |
| 7 | Team Vestas Wind | 54 |
