Yachting: Brasil 1 and movistar lead second leg

Brasil 1 and movistar were leading the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race this morning after it got away without a hitch from Cape Town's Table Bay.

Skippered by Torben Grael and second overall after the first leg from Vigo in Spain, Brasil 1 started fastest in the 5-8 knot winds in the bay.

Overall leaders ABN AMRO ONE, under the leadership of New Zealander Mike Sanderson, made a sluggish start in the calm conditions.

The boat made contact with the side of Ericsson, leaving a stanchion bent double and the guard rails in disarray, the official race website reported.

Protest flags were raised on both boats though Sanderson later dropped his and completed a 720-degree penalty turn when he was advised the error had been ABN AMRO ONE's, the website said.

Volvo Ocean Race CEO Glenn Bourke said: "As far as we can tell, all of the boats that had an incident at the first mark exonerated themselves with the correct action.

"There is always the option for the teams to seek redress, but we will not know that until they lodge a protest with the race committee."

The second leg of the gruelling race is considered the most difficult of all as the course takes the fleet through the treacherous Southern Ocean and 6,100 nautical miles to Melbourne.

- NEWSTALK ZB, HERALD ONLINE STAFF