ASSA ABLOY first in to Auckland in Volvo race

ASSA ABLOY won the third stage of the Volvo Ocean Race today.

The Swedish yacht crossed the finish line of the Sydney-Auckland leg at 6.20am, with Amer Sports One following just under two hours later.

Amer Sports One's second placing in the Auckland leg puts it in second place overall in the race, behind German yacht illbruck.

The fleet had been forecast to arrive in Auckland yesterday, but encountered light winds as soon as it rounded Cape Reinga on the northern tip of New Zealand.

ASSA ABLOY had held a 48 km lead at that stage, and Amer Sports One was able to close the gap slightly as ASSA ABLOY became becalmed.

However Amer Sports One's skipper, New Zealander Grant Dalton, was unable to repeat history, having caught the leading yacht in similar circumstances in the last round the world yacht race.

ASSA ABLOY, skippered by Neal McDonald, held its advantage during a tense 24 hours sailing.

ASSA ABLOY finished the leg with three ill or injured crewmen. Jason Carrington was being treated for a suspected kidney stone, Guillermo Altadill has a possible urine infection and Magnus Olsson was on light duty with a bruised back.

ASSA ABLOY skipper McDonald said he had fears about whether his yacht could cling to its lead after rounding Cape Reinga.

"I didn't admit it to the boys, but I was petrified," McDonald said.

"There was a lot of concern there. It was the big chance for everyone else to catch us, and indeed they did, but not enough to cause us any harm.

"For several hours yesterday, when we were just floundering around, I was very worried. If there was anyone you didn't want behind you then it was Grant Dalton so I'm glad we were able to fend him off."

With three injured or sick crew, McDonald was rapt with the first place finish.

"We've had two of our top guys down almost all the time and another fella not so well, so it's been hard work for the rest of the guys," McDonald said.

"Fortunately we managed to get a big enough lead early on and managed to hang on."

The lead was established by navigator Mark Rudiger's decision to take a northerly course after the yacht reached Hobart. That paid dividends with ASSA ABLOY finding strong winds almost straight away.

A childhood dream came true for Richared Mason today, one of two New Zealanders in ASSA ABLOY's crew, as the New Zealand trimmer was handed the helm to steer the yacht into his home port of Auckland and a stage win in the Volvo Ocean Race.

"I never dreamed it would ever happen," Mason said.

"I've been dreaming about it ever since I was four years old. I've been dreaming about it since before I could read. To actually have done it, I'm still in shellshock.

"My knees are knocking and I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow now I've achieved the greatest goal of my life."

Mason said he had fears his countryman would wreck his welcome home party.

"It was an incredibly tense last day," Mason said.

"Grant is a fearsome competitor and you just can't have him far enough behind you. At times he was taking something like eight miles out of us in about three hours and of course we were worried. For once the wind gods were with us and we made it.

"All the New Zealanders on board know how tricky this coastline is, and how easy it is to park in a hole.

"Rounding Cape Reinga yesterday there was nothing, complete glass, and we thought they're going to come flying after us, but luckily they ran into the same complete lack of breeze that we did."

Mason said the late Sir Peter Blake, who had inspired him to sail after his exploits in the round-the-world-race, had been a mentor to him. All the yachtsmen in the Volvo regarded racing the Sydney-Auckland leg as a tribute to him.

Blake was killed on the Amazon river by Brazilian river pirates last month.

"There are 12 pairs of these on board," Mason said, pulling up a pair of red socks -- a lucky talisman made famous by Blake.

"We thought we'd borrow the red socks and they worked just fine."

- NZPA