HAMPSHIRE sailor Jack Bouttell was last night celebrating after winning the latest leg of the Volvo Ocean Race on his first ever taste of the round the world event.

Bouttell, 22, was a last-minute call-up to the Chinese-backed Dong Feng crew for the third leg of the 40,000-mile race from Abu Dhabi to the team’s home port of Sanya.

The Southampton sailor is more used to singlehanded sailing but was given a coveted spot on the boat after impressing team bosses.

And after 23 days of nerve-racking racing, the team crossed the line in first place to record an historic win, the first ever for a Chinese team in the race’s 40-year history.

The result puts Dong Feng, led by Frenchman Charles Caudrelier, at the top of the leaderboard after three legs with another six remaining.

After stepping ashore in Sanya Bouttell, who has risen up through the ranks of the Cowes-based Artemis Offshore Academy, said he was amazed to be on the winning boat.

“It was quite a long leg in light winds so physically it wasn’t too bad, but it was quite stressful just drifting and also mentally quite hard always having to be focused,” he said.

“Saying that, I’m about 11 out of 10 right now, we’ve just come in in first place.

“It is an unreal moment.

“The leg was long, hard, tough, the crew had little sleep and we spent lots of time fixing things – but I loved every minute of it.”

Fellow Hampshire sailor Ian Walker’s Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing finished just three hours behind Dong Feng, notching up their third podium position in three legs.

The team is just one point behind Dong Feng overall.

“This has been far and away the closest leg we have ever sailed,” said Walker.

“With Dong Feng so far ahead and effectively out of range during the second half of the leg, it was vital we held off the chasing pack as we approached China – we’ve really won the ‘race within a race’ here, and we’re pleased with that.

“It’s another podium, and keeps us right on track at the top end of the race leaderboard.

“We’re in a good place overall – our plan since the race began was to always finish on the podium, so after three legs we are exactly where we want to be.

“There are two thirds of the race still to go and we will be sticking to our plan as we move forward.”

Team SCA, led by Hamble’s Sam Davies and including Gosport’s Dee Caffari, finished the leg in sixth place.

Leg four, from Sanya to Auckland, starts on February 8.