Hampshire sailors on the round the world Volvo Ocean Race are locked in a straight drag race at the end of leg three.

But it isn't as close as it sounds. 

There is a good chance that skipper Ian Walker and navigator Simon Fisher, both Southampton-based, on the Azzam Abu Dhabi, in second, will be the first of the local seafarers to cross the finish-line at the southern Chinese port of Sanya.

The fleet of six identical Volvo Ocean 65s left Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and, after a topsy-turvy leg, are almost at the end of the third stage of the nine port epic, which ends at Gothenburg, Sweden in June.

Dongfeng, the Chinese team, currently lead the charge into Sanya and are just over 87 nautical miles from the finish.

Walker and Fisher were 129 nautical miles from the end as of tonight, while Dee Caffari and Sam Davies, on the all-female Team SCA boat, are in last, 228NM from the port.

Sam Goodchild on Spanish boat MAPFRE is fourth.