Volvo Race fleet finally has Galway in its sights

The activities around Galway Docks and harbour this week were the clearest indication yet that the Volvo Ocean Race is on its way to Galway, but the fleet still has a final leg to negotiate – and at least one skipper determined to ensure this race is far from over.

Veteran Puma skipper Ken Read has vowed he and his crew will keep on fighting until the very end for a chance to lift the Volvo Ocean Race trophy in Galway, despite lying 23 points behind leaders and Lorient leg winners Groupama.

It’s a tall order because while there are 30 points for the leg winner – not to mention in-port racing points up for grabs – there are 25 and 20 points for second and third, and Groupama, with Kerryman Damien Foxall on board, have yet to take less than 20 points on a leg.

But although Groupama go into the final two three scoring opportunities with a 23 point advantage over PUMA, Read said his team were far from ready to concede defeat.

“It is Groupama’s race to lose now,” he said. “But that is not to say we are not going to fight tooth and nail for it. They realise they have this thing in their grasp and I am guessing they will do a good job of finishing this race off.

“But, if they don’t want to do that, then we will take it from them, I guarantee that.”

Leg 8 race from Lisbon to Lorient was short – and anything but sweet. Just shy of 2,000 miles, the penultimate leg eventually saw Groupama earn the break they needed, completing a heroic comeback that firmed their grip on the overall standings and realising a dream homecoming to their base in Lorient.

"It's a very good feeling for sure," Groupama skipper Franck Cammas said. "It's a dream we had ten months ago and now we have made it reality."

Camper were second, followed by Puma in third and Abu Dhabi fourth – all within the space of three hours.

Groupama earned 30 points to move on to a total of 219 points, 23 points clear of their nearest rivals Puma Ocean Racing, who moved into second place with 196. Camper are five points further back, level with Telefónica after they held off a late challenge from Team Sanya to take fifth.

Sanya gave it everything on that final day, just as they have done from the start, but once again they had to settle for sixth in a race where they have been overpowered by five newer and quicker designs.With just one short leg to Galway and two in-port races remaining Groupama are in a strong position to claim overall victory in their debut Volvo Ocean Race.