At the start of this leg:
- Team Russia was out, still hoping to find a new sponsor
- Delta Lloyd and Telefonica Black will undergo major repairs and turn up for Leg 6
- Ericsson 3 had not quite finished Leg 4
- Telefonica Blue had grounded hard and decided to take the boat out to check for damage
The wind died, and Ericsson 3 finished Leg 4 five hours after the Leg 5 start, turned the boat round in under two hours (stocking up for the 12,000+ mile leg and picking up the rest of the crew – no tour of the Great Wall for the late arrivals).
Telefonica Blue sailed across the start line 19 hours late, having repaired the attachment of her keel bulb and satisfied themselves that there was no other damage.
After going round in circles for a while, the wind filled in from behind, bringing Ericsson 3 back into contention. Now they’re all screaming along in a NE monsoon which will blend smoothly into the NE Trades further south. For the moment, it’s a drag race.
