Groupama claims Volvo leg victory
Source: Agencies |
March 11, 2012, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
GROUPAMA overcame a massive leak to win leg 4 of the Volvo Ocean Race yesterday and take the provisional overall lead.
The French boat had dominated the 5,220-nautical mile stage from Sanya in south China's Hainan Province, to Auckland, New Zealand, but its comfortable victory margin was put under threat just eight hours from the finish of the 19-day leg as water started to leak into the bow.
The crew pumped out the water, which filled two-thirds of the bow and threatened to sink the boat before the source of the leak was found and sealed.
The 30 points gained for winning the leg took Groupama to 103 points overall and into the provisional lead before overall pace-setter Telefonica (101) and the rest of the fleet finish the leg.
Puma narrowly held second place in the leg ahead of Spanish boat Telefonica which had won the first three legs of the 2011-12 edition.
Team New Zealand aboard Camper was also in contention for a top three place with Abu Dhabi and Team Sanya bringing up the rear.
The next leg to Itajai in Brazil begins on March 18.
The nine-month, 39-nautical mile race visits 10 ports in as many countries, four oceans and five continents and is scheduled to finish in Galway, Ireland, on July 8.
The French boat had dominated the 5,220-nautical mile stage from Sanya in south China's Hainan Province, to Auckland, New Zealand, but its comfortable victory margin was put under threat just eight hours from the finish of the 19-day leg as water started to leak into the bow.
The crew pumped out the water, which filled two-thirds of the bow and threatened to sink the boat before the source of the leak was found and sealed.
The 30 points gained for winning the leg took Groupama to 103 points overall and into the provisional lead before overall pace-setter Telefonica (101) and the rest of the fleet finish the leg.
Puma narrowly held second place in the leg ahead of Spanish boat Telefonica which had won the first three legs of the 2011-12 edition.
Team New Zealand aboard Camper was also in contention for a top three place with Abu Dhabi and Team Sanya bringing up the rear.
The next leg to Itajai in Brazil begins on March 18.
The nine-month, 39-nautical mile race visits 10 ports in as many countries, four oceans and five continents and is scheduled to finish in Galway, Ireland, on July 8.
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