Volvo Ocean Race

Leg 3 started with a sprint and ended with what felt like the climax to a marathon as Team Sanya sailed into their home port to a rapturous reception, a day after Team Telefónica had made it three legs wins from three.

IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race PAUL TODD/Volvo Ocean Race PAUL TODD/Volvo Ocean Race Hamish Hooper/CAMPER… Yann Riou/Groupama Sailing… Amory Ross/PUMA Ocean… Nick Dana/Abu Dhabi Ocean… Diego Fructuoso/Team… Nick Dana/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Diego Fructuoso/Team…

A leg that ultimately produced a familiar result was anything but run of the mill, as the teams came through a punishing one-day stage, more heart-stopping moments with the boats in the air and an offshore battle that was as testing as it gets.

Telefónica 's latest triumph came after a deflating finish for them to the first stage sprint to Sharjah. That was back on January 14 when the five teams that made it to Abu Dhabi enjoyed an almighty tussle for the first 20 percent of the points for Leg 3.

Telefónica led for much of the 106 nm race up the coast only for Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing to snatch an unexpected victory in the pitch black night. PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG followed them across with Groupama sailing team finishing third and Telefónica having to settle for fourth, above only CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand.

As in Leg 2, the boats were then loaded on to a container ship to take them through waters affected by piracy. The secret safe haven port was revealed to be Male in the Maldives from where the six teams set off on the 3,051 nm stage to Sanya on January 22.

Telefónica troubles

The first day brought more troubles for Telefónica when a fitting on the huge code zero sail broke. PUMA's Mar Mostro took the lead on the first night but nothing would be even close to decided until the teams made it through the feared Malacca Strait.

CAMPER moved first in time for skipper Chris Nicholson to celebrate Australia Day on January 26 but Telefónica were by then the most northerly boat and they snatched top spot before the entrance to the Strait.

PUMA suffered damage to a dagger board after a collision with a tree trunk and then got snared by a fishing net but the biggest problem faced by the fleet was sleep deprivation with wind shifts and tidal surges making it a roll of the dice every minute.

The lead changed hands again and again between Telefónica, Groupama and PUMA, with just 300 metres separating the leading three on the morning of January 29 while slightly further back a bat took up residence on Abu Dhabi's Azzam.

Telefónica led the fleet into the South China Sea and a final 1,000 nm of tough upwind sailing.

Failed gamble

On February 1, PUMA surprised everyone by making a bold move east that ultimately failed while the following day the top four said 'Good morning, Vietnam'.

Groupama hopes of depriving Telefónica of victory took a blow when they hit a floating object before snapping a mainsheet in a night of drama.

They carried out quick repairs but could not quite squeeze out enough boat speed to overtake Telefónica who sealed victory on Saturday, February 4 followed by Groupama, CAMPER, PUMA and Abu Dhabi with all of them welcomed by thousands of fans.

There were thousands more on Sunday to greet Sanya as they came in sixth out if six but ecstatic to sail into a stopover under racing conditions for the first time in the race.