ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — French team Groupama secured its first stage victory in the Volvo Ocean Race on Wednesday, beating overall leader Telefonica in a sprint to Abu Dhabi to complete the second leg.
The five-boat fleet set off on a 98-nautical-mile sprint from nearby Sharjah to finish a leg that began last month in Cape Town, South Africa. The boats initially sailed to a secret “safe haven” port in the Indian Ocean to avoid pirates before being shipped to the United Arab Emirates.
Groupama’s crew had to patch up the $10-million boat with plastic tape to repair hull damage shortly before the sprint because normal repairs aren’t allowed during the race.
