Telefónica three minutes ahead at São Miguel

13 Jun 2012, 05:58UTC

Telefónica three minutes ahead at São Miguel

Diego Fructuoso/Team Telefonica/Volvo Ocean Race

There was no let up in the three way scrap for the podium positions overnight as Telefónica, Groupama and PUMA continued to duke it out for the lead on the approach to São Miguel island in the Azores.

It was Telefónica who emerged from the fray marginally ahead to round the Leg 8 waypoint in first place at 0456 UTC -- followed just three minutes later by Groupama.

Third placed PUMA rounded at 0508 UTC with CAMPER another 20 minutes behind in fourth and Abu Dhabi in fifth, rounding at 0553 UTC UTC and sixth placed Team Sanya at 0636 UTC.

This morning the leaders were heading north east in around 12 knots of breeze and preparing for an encounter with a large North Atlantic depression packing up to 40 knots of wind which is expected to sweep across their path on the way to the finish in Lorient.