Yachting: Fast run south tipped for round-the-world race

"It is going to be a full-on, throttle down, wickedly fast run" was meteorologist Ken Campbell's prediction of the sprint to Wellington in the third leg of the round-the-world yacht race.

The fleet, minus Australian entry Brunel who will rejoin the race in Baltimore, headed out of Melbourne yesterday afternoon on the short 1450 nautical mile journey to NZ.

If the forecast strong breezes prevail, ABN Amro One navigation consultant New Zealander Mike Quilter said the boats might arrive more quickly in Wellington than some of the behind-the-scenes team members.

Getting to the start line provided the teams with their first challenge of the day - they had to tip their masts to get under the Bolte Bridge.

After a delayed start, the result of an air show affecting the air above, it was Spanish entry movistar which charged over the line first, with Paul Cayard's Pirates of the Caribbean (US) and Sweden's Ericsson not far behind.

Last night, the fleet were 10 miles north of Mornington and, as had been forecast, were stalled in dying breeze.

Brasil 1, movistar, Ericsson and Pirates shared the lead with a tiny one-nautical-mile lead over ABN Amro One and ABN Amro Two.

A cold front was expected to hit the fleet overnight.

New Zealander Mike Sanderson, skipper of ABN Amro One, said before the race that exercising caution was a priority for his team, although he and his crew - many of whom are New Zealanders - are keen to be the first home.

"The only thing we have to do is get this boat into Rio. If we were to miss the restart to Wellington, 17.5 points would be lost. We have to put the emotion of being in New Zealand behind and focus on performance."