Sweden's Ericsson 4 leads Volvo race

0 Comments | AFP, October, 2008

MADRID (AFP) — Sweden's Ericsson 4 held a slim lead over the US entry Puma Ocean Racing on Tuesday as the yachts in the Volvo Ocean Race around the world headed at a fast pace for the first stop in Cape Town, South Africa.

A low pressure system and strong winds of 40 knots put the eight 70-foot (21.5-metre) boats to the test.

"We'll have to see if we can keep up this pace," said Ian Walker, skipper of the Sino-Irish entry Green Dragon, which was in third place followed closely by Spain's two Telefonica yachts.

The yachts left the Spanish Mediterranean port of Alicante on October 11. They are expected in Cape Town on November 3 at the end of the first leg.

The finish line in the race of 37,000 nautical miles is in St Petersburg, Russia, where the...