2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race

Participants

Six teams started and finished the race. Of the teams only Team Sanya raced a second hand boat, Telefónica Blue, which took third place in the 2008-09 race.

Team Telefónica

Groupama

Team Abu Dhabi

Puma Ocean Racing powered by Berg Propulsion

Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand

Team Sanya

Route

The race used a scoring system where the overall winner was the team with the most points at the end of the race. All races counted with no discards allowed. The boats were awarded points in every race, six to one in in-port races and 30–5 points (30, 25, 20, 15, 10 and 5) for ocean races (legs). The race had a total of nine ocean legs and ten in-port races. Due to piracy the legs to and from Abu Dhabi were given two scores with the same total as the other legs. The scores were to be divided 80+20% and 20+80% respectively.

In addition to the ocean and in-port races there were no-score pro-am races in every port where sponsors and guests were given an experience as close to that of true professional sailing.

Summary

The race began in Alicante on 29 October 2011 and ended in Galway on 7 July 2012.

Alicante In-Port Race

On 29 October 2011 Abu Dhabi won the first In-Port race with Puma second and Camper third. The winds were very light on the race day.

Alicante to Cape Town

The 6,500 NM leg started 5 November 2011 at 1300 UTC.

Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand led the fleet out of Alicante and through the Gibraltar straits.

On 5 November 2011, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing lost its mast within hours of the race's beginning during heavy winds and high seas near Alicante. On 6 November 2011 Team Sanya was forced to head to port after damaging its hull. Team Sanya withdrew from the first leg on 7 November after an assessment of the damage.

The fleet were led round the turning mark near the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha by Puma Ocean Racing, powered by BERG Propulsion on 17 November. Several days later at 1500 hours on 21 November their mast failed, splitting into three bits. They retired from the first leg on 22 November and headed to Tristan da Cunha.

Telefónica won the first leg, followed by Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand. Groupama placed third, several days after the leaders, as they missed the lowpressure system Telefónica and Camper used to cross the southern Atlantic at high speed.

Cape Town In-Port Race

On 10 December 2011 Telefónica won the In-Port race with Camper second and Puma third.

Cape Town to Abu Dhabi

The 5,430 NM leg started on 11 December 2011. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing led the fleet out of Cape Town. Team Sanya were forced to suspend racing following a rigging failure and missed the cargo ship from the secret port to Abu Dhabi.

Due to the threat of piracy around Somalia, the fleet headed from Cape Town to a secret port, later revealed to be Malé, and were then transported by ship to Abu Dhabi, closer to the finish line for a sprint into Abu Dhabi. The first part of the leg gave 80% of the points (24, 20, 16, 12, 8 and 4 points) and the second part 20% (6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points) for the same total of 30 to 5 points as the other ocean legs. Team Telefónica were the first boat into the secret port while Groupama Sailing Team won the sprint leg. Telefónica won overall points on the leg.

Team Sanya resumed racing on the 6 January with a six-man crew and finally finished the first part of leg 2 on 19 January, also scoring points for the sprint part of leg 2 and the in port race that they had missed.

Abu Dhabi In-Port Race

Was held on 13 January 2012 and was won by Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, with Groupama coming second, and Camper third.

Abu Dhabi to Sanya

The 4,600 NM leg started on 14 January 2012. Due to the threat of piracy around Somalia, the fleet was transported once again by ship to Male from where the third leg of the race began. From the new port they will then head through the Bay of Bengal and then pass the Malacca Strait. The first part give 20% of the points (6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points) and the second part 80% (24, 20, 16, 12, 8 and 4 points) for the same total of 30 to 5 points as the other ocean legs.

Sanya In-Port Race

On the 18 February 2012 Team Telefónica took their second in-port victory in perfect sailing conditions with flat waters and winds gusting up to 20 knots. Team Puma came in second, followed by Abu Dhabi, Camper, Groupama and Sanya.

Sanya to Auckland

The 5,220 NM leg started on 19 February 2012.

Auckland In-Port Race

Was held on 17 March 2012.

Auckland to Itajaí

The 6,705 NM leg started 18 March 2012. This leg, the longest in the race, included safety waypoints which were designed to keep the boats north of the main areas of iceberg risk.

Team Sanya suffered rudder and hull damage on 22 March and were forced to return to New Zealand. They rejoined the race in Miami. Both Team New Zealand and Abu Dhabi stopped in Puerto Montt, Chile. Team New Zealand repaired the boat and continued on while Abu Dhabi was shipped from there to Itajai, Brazil.

After 17 days at sea, with 677 nautical miles to go to the finish line, Groupama (Franck Cammas/FRA) dismasted 60 nautical miles (nm) south of Punta del Este. Groupama motored to Punta del Este and following the creation of a jury rig rejoined the race and was placed third.

Itajaí In-Port Race

Was held on 21 April 2012 and won by Groupama.

Itajaí to Miami

The 4,800 NM leg started on 22 April 2012 and was won by Puma.

Miami In-Port Race

Was held on 19 May 2012 and won by Abu Dhabi.

Miami to Lisbon

The 3,590 NM leg started on 20 May 2012.

Lisbon In-Port Race

Was held on 9 June 2012.

Lisbon to Lorient

The 1,940 NM leg started on 10 June 2012. From Lisbon the fleet travelled to a turning point at São Miguel Island before heading to Lorient.

Lorient In-Port Race

Was held 30 June 2012.

Lorient to Galway

The 485 NM leg started on 1 July 2012. This leg was the shortest offshore leg in the race.

Galway In-Port Race

Was held on 7 July 2012.