Yachting: Weather shakes up race leader

ABN Amro One still lead the fleet in the fifth leg of the round-the-world yacht race, but skipper New Zealander Mike Sanderson is not sure how much longer they can stay in front as they battle their way through a massive stationary front.

Last night, Sanderson's team were 2234km from the finish in Baltimore and had a 89km lead over Spain's movistar.

Paul Cayard's Pirates of the Caribbean were third a further 106km back while little separated Brasil 1 and Ericsson, who trailed the leader by 269km and 276km respectively.

ABN Amro Two were at the rear of the fleet 389km behind.

With the wind behind them, the boats are gybing to keep to their optimum angles and sailing at maximum speed as they make their way north towards the high pressure system off the east coast of the US.

In such variable downwind conditions, there can be big gains if the right side of the shift is picked but big losses if the teams get it wrong.

"The sailing has been pretty frustrating over the last 48 hours," Sanderson said in an email.

"Right now we are in the middle of this massive stationary front and so very changeable conditions are to be expected ...

"There will be some big games of snakes and ladders going on while we are in this stuff."

With four of the nine legs completed in the Volvo Ocean Race, Sanderson's team have a comfortable 22-point lead over the second-placed movistar in the overall standings after winning three legs.

The leaders are expected to reach Baltimore around Wednesday.