When will The Ocean Race reach Newport? What to know
UPDATE: 11th Hour racing has reached Fort Adams as the first-place finisher of Leg 4.
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As of noon Wednesday, both 11th Hour Racing Team and Team Malizia are approximately THREE HOURS out from the finish line off of Fort Adams!
Current ETA: Approximately 3 p.m.
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As of 4:15 p.m. Tuesday the first finisher of Leg 5 of The Ocean Race is expected in Newport Wednesday afternoon, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
The finish line for the leg that originated in Itajaí, Brazil on April 23, extends from the seawall at the north end of Fort Adams State Park to a buoy in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay. The North Lawn of Fort Adams will offer prime viewing opportunities, and everyone is encouraged to visit Fort Adams to watch the finish.
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Newport is hosting the only North American stopover for the third consecutive edition of the global circumnavigation race.
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The Ocean Race entrants are almost here.
Four international teams are making their way to Newport all the way from Itajaí, Brazil, a 5,500-nautical-mile trip that will have the boats sailing across the equator and right into Narragansett Bay. Once the boats arrive in Newport, they’ll stick around for about two weeks before Leg 5 begins and they chart a course for Aarhus, Denmark.
The current leg follows three others that began in Alicante, Spain, on Jan. 15 and took the competitors to Cabo Verde and then Cape Town before embarking on the trip to Brazil.
Here's a look at what to expect in the coming week.
When are the boats arriving in Newport?
Sail Newport’s Sean McNeill said the organization expects the first boats to start arriving in Narragansett Bay on Wednesday morning, by 3 a.m. at the absolute earliest, although they are more likely to come in mid-morning and in the afternoon. Possible light winds on Tuesday could slow the boats down, he said, making late morning and afternoon arrivals more likely.
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How can I see the boats coming in?
There are a couple of vantage points in Newport where it will be easiest to see the boats coming in. Most notably, the shoreline at Fort Adams will be closest to the finish line and parking will be free.
People can also see the ships coming in around the Ocean Avenue area, in places such as Brenton Point Park and Castle Hill because of their proximity to the finish line. However, the boats may be difficult to spot if it’s dark outside.
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What are the current standings?
As of Monday morning, Newport’s own 11th Hour Racing Team is leading the pack to Newport despite being in third place for the overall race with 13 points total. Close behind them is Team Malizia of Germany, which won the race's third leg and currently sits at second place in the competition with 14 total points. Behind them is Biotherm from France, which has 10 total points, putting them in fourth place. Finally, GUYOT Environnement - Team Europe, which represents the European Union, is bringing up the rear in Leg 4 and sits at last place with two points. GUYOT Environnement - Team Europe had to retire in Leg 3 after sustaining damage to its hull.
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The current front runners in the overall race, Team Holcim - PRB of Switzerland, retired from this Leg after demasting last Thursday. They currently have 19 points total and finished first in both the first and second legs of the journey.
To keep updated on the positions of the boats as they make their way to Newport, be sure to check the Ocean Race’s website where they have a live tracker.
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Ocean Race in Newport, RI: Teams expect to arrive on May 10
