MAPFRE leads out into the Atlantic

MAPFRE leads the charge at the start of leg seven of the Volvo Ocean Race

MAPFRE, winner of yesterday's Newport in-port race winner, were again the class act as they led the six VO65s out of Newport at the start of Leg 7 taking the boats across the North Atlantic bound for Lisbon.

At the start, Dongfeng Race Team's crew seemed determined to cut their six point deficit on overall race leaders Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing and was quickest out of the blocks, reaching the first mark with a comfortable lead. But the initial lap of the course inside Narragansett Bay saw MAPFRE take the lead, and was the first to leave Rhode Island in her wake as the boats set off into the Atlantic.

In contrast, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing laboured at the back of the fleet for the opening laps of the Bay, just behind local favourites, Team Alvimedica, which could not give their homeport quite the farewell they would have liked. Behind MAPFRE and Dongfeng, Team SCA and Team Brunel tussled for third place.

For the first 24 hours of the leg, the fleet should experience comparatively light winds before harsher conditions and the Gulf Stream make their presence felt.

The 2,800-nautical mile leg take some eight to 10 days to complete.