Team News Corp has crossed the finish line in the fourth leg of the round-the-world yacht race, its makeshift rudder surviving the last 1000 nautical miles of the Auckland to Rio de Janiero stage.
The Australian entry, with four New Zealanders aboard, crossed the line at 10.55 am (NZT) today after24 days, 21h, 55min and 10sec, putting them in sixth place overall.
Co-skipper New Zealander Ross Field, who described the leg as one of the most dangerous of his 15-year career, said the boat hit an iceberg in the Southern Ocean 19 days after leaving Auckland.
"The last 1000 miles of the race to the finish line was fought with an emergency rudder lashed to the transom."
The German yacht illbruck is in first place overall after claiming their third win in the 9-leg race on Tuesday night in a time of 23 days, 5h, 58min and 42sec.
The Norwegian entry djuice was second on Leg 4, with Tyco, skippered by New Zealand's Kevin Shoebridge, third.
Assa Abloy was 4th and Amer Sports One, skippered by New Zealander Grant Dalton was 5th.
The all-woman crew of Amer Sports Too is 43 miles from the finish line.
