Yachting: ABN Amro One wins second leg of Volvo ocean race

MELBOURNE - ABN Amro One won the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race yesterday.

The Dutch yacht crossed the finish line in Melbourne after sailing 6,100 nautical miles across the Southern Ocean from Cape Town. The voyage took 19 days.

ABN Amro One also won the opening leg and collected a maximum 14 points from the second stage to lead with 29 points.

Sister yacht ABN Amro Two was expected to dock about three hours after the winner which was slowed after entering Port Phillip Bay by light winds.

"I am really relieved. It has been a very stressful last 18 hours, but that is nothing compared to the leg as a whole. I have never known anything like it," winning skipper Mike Sanderson said.

"The guys have done an amazing job and I am so happy for the whole team. An ABN Amro first and second is huge." Third-placed Movistar was 134 nautical miles behind when ABN Amro One crossed the line, with fourth-placed Pirates of the Caribbean 502 miles off the pace.

The fleet is due to spend about three weeks in Melbourne before setting sail on February 12 for the third leg to Wellington.

After Wellington, the fleet then stops off in Rio de Janeiro, Baltimore, New York, Portsmouth, Rotterdam and Gothenburg.

- REUTERS