Super Sunday - Leg 4 start from Itajaí, Brazil

Refresh this page for latest updates

HOW TO FOLLOW THE LEG 4 LEG START FROM ITAJAI - CLICK HERE

Racing started at 1315 local time / 1615 UTC

1830 UTC: Today's story is here

1710 UTC: "We're really happy about the start of course, but we have 17 days or more to go," said Paul Meilhat as he leads the fleet out to sea. "But this is good. There is lot of public here and it's always good for the team to start well. It shows we have a lot of potential in this kind of wind."

1655 UTC: What a great start for Paul Mielhat's Biotherm. After a difficult fourth place finish into Itajaí the team is leading the fleet away from Brazil and towards Newport, Rhode Island. 

1650 UTC: Second lap at Mark 3 and it's Paul Meilhat's Biotherm with a significant lead now over Team Holcim PRB who have slipped past Malizia and into second place.

1630 UTC: The breeze is up slightly, and the Race Committee will extend the race course slightly. Biotherm holding firm at the front. 

1625 UTC:  At Mark 2, it's Biotherm leading Team Malizia and Holcim-PRB... and just passing Mark 1 after restarting it's GUYOT ahead of 11th Hour Racing Team...

1620 UTC: "It's a game of inches," says 11th Hour Racing Team's Mark Towill on the broadcast, watching his team make the painful restart. 

1617 UTC: As 11th Hour Racing Team and GUYOT envrionnement return to restart, it's Biotherm and Team Malizia leading Team Holcim-PRB around the course. 

1615 UTC: What a start!!!!! Three boats RIGHT ON THE LINE.... But 11th Hour Racing Team and GUYOT envrionnement Team Europe just over the line by the smallest of margins. They will return to restart. 

1612 UTC: Into the start sequence now, light winds, two laps of a short course and then off to Newport. 

1605 UTC: The conditions are light but certainly the boats are moving. It should be a good start from Itajaí.

1555 UTC: Getting close now. Charlie Enright is making bold calls."Newport is where I'm from, and where 11th Hour Racing Team is from and we really want to win this leg."

1535 UTC: The teams will complete two full laps of a short course before heading north out to sea towards Newport, Rhode Island.

1525 UTC: The Race Committee is on station - the wind is from 170-degrees at about 6 to 8 knots.

1500 UTC: Biotherm's Mariana Lobato on the new crew configuration on board Biotherm. "We are very happy after the In Port Race. We had only done two hours sailing together so to get second in that race was very good for us. We did an awesome job of communication and teamwork. I think if we just keep it simple we can manage to have a good result on this leg."

1455 UTC: There is still very little wind here in Itajaí, but the atmosphere is electric. A full house in Ocean Live Park to send off The Ocean Race teams on leg 4.

1440 UTC: Kevin Escoffier, Team Holcim-PRB, on the value of keeping his fitness up. "We’ve been to the gym every morning since we’ve been here. It’s much easier to be physically ready if you keep working on it. It’s very important, because the more physically ready you are, the less tired you are when we’re racing. I feel in good shape and we’re ready to go."

1418 UTC: Team Malizia skipper Will Harris, just ahead of departure time: "My last proper food on shore was scrambled eggs and bacon this morning. Now it's going to be a sandwich on the water, and back into the rhythm of this offshore life. I've been kind of looking forward to it these last few days. And now we've got this point where we've prepared as much as we can and we’re as ready as we can be. It's just about getting out there and going and enjoying it, and doing the best race we can. Next proper food... I’ll look forward to a burger in Newport. I've heard they're pretty good there."

1410 UTC: Before we get into leg 4, why not relive some of the Southern Ocean stories from the EPIC leg 3 just finished - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owzwYIdZZj4 

1315 UTC: Charlie Enright, 11th Hour Racing Team skipper, ahead of leg 4: "We have Damian Foxall on board, he's older than dirt!! But seriously, he brings so much in the way of experience, intensity, wisdom and energy. We will be pushing hard and hopefully we can bring it home in Newport."

1255 UTC: The official forecast is for light, southeast winds, 5-9 knots, with increasing rain showers. The lightest of rain has just started here in Ocean Live Park. 

1130 UTC: Warm and humid for the bike ride down to Ocean Live Park this morning. The sun is shining this morning, but there is rain in the forecast this afternoon.