17 Apr 2012

Final hurdle for Camper as Leg 5 finish line draws close

7:32 am on 17 April 2012

After a testing Leg 5 of the Volvo ocean race, Team New Zealand's Camper is less than 24 hours from the finish line - but they still face one final challenge before the crew can end their month-long ordeal.

An area of light wind in the last 20 miles before the Itajaí finish line could yet make the Leg 5 finish painfully slow for Camper after more than 9,000 nautical miles of racing.

Helmsman Tony Rae says the crew is prepared but hopeful they can avoid any more speed bumps.

Camper were forced to suspend racing on April 3 before diverting to Puerto Montt in Chile for repairs to structural damage.

Five days later they resumed the leg and have since put their Volvo Open 70 through its paces and Rae says she has passed the test with flying colours.

A fourth-place finish will see Camper claim 15 points, enough to move them up above PUMA and back into third place in the overall standings.