Although they are sailing a greater distance to the finish, sweeping in from the west, the extra speed more than compensates.
Scallywag, after being in stealth mode for 24 hours, is now in front on the leaderboard though it's unclear where AkzoNobel is.
MAPFRE, meanwhile, is in a tough battle with Dongfeng Racing Team - the two are separated by less than a quarter of a nautical mile.
Tuke said things are really tight between MAPFRE and Dongfeng.
"Sailing pretty fast again, we're getting that boat speed back up again. We are going along nicely at the moment. Dongfeng is pretty much equal in speed which is unbelievable," he said.
"We knew this race would have a lot of compressions and different transitions where the people behind us would potentially catch up.
"The first one didn't work in our favour, so we've had to fight hard. We want to be in front on our way back into Auckland."
The Auckland viaduct was opened for the Volvo Ocean Race fleet on Saturday with a powhiri.
Over the next 23 days, an expected 500,000 visitors will be treated to free entertainment and given the chance to meet their sailing heroes at the Viaduct Harbour.
Fans will have the chance to quiz victorious America's Cup sailors Peter Burling and Tuke in a Q&A session on the main stage at 3pm on March 3.
Tuke was looking forward to a taste of home after a diet of mainly freeze dried food sailors have on board the racing boats.
"If there is one thing I will eat when I get home it will be a steak and cheese pie, and an L&P."
