HAMPSHIRE skipper Ian Walker was last night chasing down the leaders in the opening days of the third leg of the Volvo Ocean Race.

Walker's Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing crew led the fleet out of their home port on Saturday but last night were in third position six miles behind Chinese team Dong Feng and Dutch crew Team Brunel.

The fleet are currently charging south through the Arabian Gulf en route to Sanya in China.

Warsash sailor Walker's crew came third in the previous leg putting them tied at the top of the overall rankings.

Matt Knighton, the team's onboard reporter, said: “It was an amazing day of sailing along the coastlines of countries we may never get a chance to set foot in.

“There aren’t many corners of the ocean the guys onboard Azzam haven’t sailed in but as we skirted Iran you could sense this was something new.

“The drag race south had now begun and as our speed built, our attention shifted – time to hunt down Dongfeng, now some 20 nm ahead.”

All-female crew Team SCA, led by Hamble's Sam Davies, scored their first victory in the Abu Dhabi in-port race but were last night at the back of the fleet in sixth, 20 miles behind the leaders.