VOR: Vestas 11th Hour Racing (USA) poised to win Leg 1

LISBON, POR – Barring a last-minute disaster (knock on wood they don't run into a container, have a major failure on board, or the wind quits), the team led by Americans Charlie Enright (Skipper) and Mark Towill (Project Manager) are about to win their second Volvo Ocean Race leg in a row – having won the last leg of the 2011-12 race.

As you can see from this screen grab your Ed. made of the VOR race tracker moments ago, Vestas 11th Hour Racing (orange boat) are only 18nm from the finish off Lisbon with a 24-mile lead. The breeze, while lightening and on their nose, looks consistent for them into the finish. The fleet is closing doing twice the VMG but they, too, will run into the lighter air up under the coast that Vestas is now in. Charlie, Mark & Co. should finish in in two hours or so, approx 0600 PDT / 1300 UTC / 1500 CET....