Team Brunel took a one point lead at the top of the Volvo Ocean Race in-port series last night with a win in Itajai.

– Mapfre docked two points for VOR rule breach
– Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing focused on the USA
– ADOR looking for in-port race improvement

In agonisingly slow winds, Bouwe Bekking’s men started slowly, but surged on in the latter stages to claim a win and go a point clear of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing in the race’s mini series.

The Dutchman led his team to victory in a time of one hour, 21 minutes, 57 seconds to finish over a minute ahead of the Emirati boat. In stark contrast to conditions the six crews sailed in for the majority of leg five from Auckland to Itajai, wind speed barely got above five knots on the east Brazilian coast as the race was cut from three laps to two.

After finishing last in the New Zealand in-port race, ADOR skipper Ian Walker will have been relieved to once again finish on the podium – a 10th top-three finish in 11 total race stages so far – although he will feel slightly aggrieved at not winning the race having led for much of it.

Azzam and Dongfeng Race Team – back on the start line after crashing out of leg five a few weeks ago – were locked in a battle behind Brunel, Walker’s crew eventually finishing 16 seconds ahead of Charles Caudrelier’s team.

Dongfeng had led themselves on the second lap of the course before losing the lead, regaining it and losing it again to Brunel.

Team SCA and skipper Sam Davies had looked on course for a third in-port race win after leading the teams off from the start line.

The all-female crew led for nearly half of the race but faded towards the end, eventually finishing fourth, almost two minutes behind Brunel.

Mapfre, who were docked two points in the overall standings a few days ago for failing to notify race chiefs of changes made to their boat during the course of leg five, finished 30 seconds down on SCA in fifth.

Team Alvimedica, meanwhile, were almost two minutes adrift of the Spanish in sixth place.