Ericsson 4 Celebrates In Cape Town

It's a win for Torben Grael and the international crew on Ericsson 4 in Leg One of the Volvo Ocean Race. The team eased across the finish line at 05:54 GMT, on a bright, sunny morning in Cape Town.

The wind was light, and the final few hundred metres took longer than expected, but the result is the same – a Leg One victory as well as a new (still to be ratified) 24-hour distance record.

The leg victory is worth eight points, and this vaults Grael's crew to the top of the leaderboard with 14 points.

On stepping ashore, Grael said: "It's really fantastic to be here. It was a great trip with lots of speed and I am very happy with what we have achieved. I think we had PUMA in sight for about 70 per cent of the race and I am very glad that we were ahead at the scoring gate and at the finish. It feels great to win."

Navigator Jules Salter added, "It's really good to be here. It is always good to be in Cape Town. It was an eventful race; I really can't remember most of it, but it feels really great to be in the lead from the very beginning."

Look for Mark Chisnell's regular TEN ZULU report later this morning, as well as full coverage of the Ericsson 4 arrival and celebration by Riath Al-Samarrai.