THREE more Hampshire sailors have completed the first leg of one of the world’s toughest races.

Greg Miller, 40 and Jim Prendergast, 40, from Gosport, along with Max Stunell, 34, from Portsmouth, have arrived in Rio to finish stage one of the Clipper Round the World Race.

The only professionals on their teams – Mission Performance, Unicef and PSP Logistics respectively – the skippers said they were delighted to explore Rio after battling nature over much of the past month.

Greg said: “Leg 1 was highly frustrating at times, and very exhilarating at times. Overall it was a brilliant experience. The crew have had a ball. It has been a learning curve, but we have learnt really well, adapted to our challenges and come out well and are well-placed for Leg 2 now."

Jim, pictured below, added: “It’s was tremendously exciting, frustrating at times, it was a rollercoaster really. We had a poor start due to a couple of broken halyards, we fought our way back into the middle of the fleet only to get caught again, then we fought our way back again before hitting the Doldrums.

I think we finished lamentably very last, but the crew is very excited to be here, they are pleased about what we have achieved and we had a great trip.”

Daily Echo:

It comes after tragedy struck the first leg earlier this month when team IchorCoal sailor Andrew Ashman died after he was struck unconscious by a sail off the coast of Portugal and died of his wounds despite his crew’s best attempts to resuscitate him.

Mr Ashman, 49, was an "experienced yachtsman" from Orpington, Kent and his death was the first in the race’s 20-year history.

The race, founded by Hampshire sailing legend Sir Robin Knox-Johnston crosses six continents and visits 14 ports over eleven months. It is the only event of its kind available to amateur sailors and international adventurers of all ages and from all social backgrounds.