Yachting: Tight finish to Pacific leg of Global Challenge

After an agonising last few miles, Spirit of Sark managed to overtake BG Spirit, battling through 40-knot winds to take victory in the second leg of the Global Challenge round the world yacht race yesterday .

The winner, skippered by Duggie Gillespie, set a record for the 6100 nautical mile leg of the race from Buenos Aires, clocking 36d 7h 2m 33s. The previous record of 36d 10h 53m 39s was set by Conrad Humphreys in 2000-2001.

BP Explorer finished second and BG Spirit third in a close tussle for the line by the first three yachts.

The third leg of the race, which started at Portsmouth on October 2 last year, continues from Wellington to Sydney on February 6.

- NZPA