ALICANTE, Spain Dec 26 (Reuters) – Spain’s Telefonica
clinched a last-gasp victory over Camper in the first stage of
leg two of the Volvo Ocean Race on Monday after 15 days’ sailing
from Cape Town to a secret Indian Ocean stopover.
At the end of what Camper’s co-skipper Stu Bannatyne
described as “a Boxing Day street fight”, overall leaders
Telefonica stole in front with just eight nautical miles (15-km)
to go in a stage that saw the top two sail more than 4,000nm.
Telefonica finished one minute 57 seconds ahead on a
pitch-black night to pick up 24 points for first place and
extend their overall lead to seven points. Spanish/New Zealand
entry Camper secured 20 points for second spot.
“It was a really complicated race and we were fighting all
the way,” said winning skipper Iker Martinez. “It was really,
really tough.”
Leg two has been split into two stages because of the threat
of piracy in the Indian Ocean.
The first stage took the boats from Cape Town to a secret
“safe haven” port in the Indian Ocean, with the exact positions
of the yachts masked from the public during the latter part.
The boats will now be shipped through the waters worst
affected by piracy and on to Sharjah from where the leg will be
completed with a day-long sprint into Abu Dhabi.
U.S. team Puma were several hours away from the finish, on
course to cross the line in third place, ahead of French team
Groupama.
Abu Dhabi were back in fifth, with the sixth boat Sanya
having suspended racing for repairs in Madagascar.
Continued…
