The seven teams in the Volvo Ocean Race left Lisbon on Sunday 8th October 2017. One departure given with a little delay due to the lack of wind in Portugal. After 700 miles of sailing to Alicante (the start city of this 2017/2018 edition), they reached Spain on Wednesday 11th October. And it was once again MAPFRE, the Spanish crew, who won this second event, which does not count for the general classification of the race. The team of Xabi Fernandes had already won the Leg Zero of the Volvo Ocean Race, consisting of 4 stages (Tour of the Isle of Wight, Rolex Fastnet Race, Plymouth-Saint-Malo, Saint-Malo-Lisbon).
It was MAPFRE who got off to the best start of the race, determined to confirm its good performances. "This Prologue is a great opportunity to train, because it will be a coastal race, like the first stage. We are looking forward to it and we are really motivated", confided Pablo Arrante, watch leader on the Spanish boat, just before the start.
The 62 sailors (plus the 7 onboard reporters) encountered tricky conditions over the first 24 hours of racing, with a totally absent wind (3 knots) and a fleet almost at a standstill. However, the Spanish team managed to make the best of it by getting closer to the coast in search of a breeze, which proved favourable after Sunday's start. A technique that paid off 48 hours later.
MAPFRE crossed the new finish line of this Prologue (Cabo de Gata) on October 11, 2017 at 9 h 49 min 4 s and took first place in this "zero" ranking Team Brunel and Team AkzoNobel complete the podium.
The seven boats are due to reach Alicante this Thursday 12th October in the morning. The race village opened at 18:00 on Wednesday and will close on 22nd October, with the departure of the seven crews.
Composition of crews
For this round, the teams had opted for different configurations: eight crew members on board (including one woman) of Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag and Team Brunel, who had to do without the services of British rider Annie Lush, who had the flu at the last moment, nine (including two women) on Dongfeng Race Team, Vestas 11 th Hour Racing, Mapfre and Team AkzoNobel, ten (including five women) on Turn the Tide on Plastic.
