HAMPSHIRE’S Ian Walker was this evening in third place on the fourth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race as the sprint to New Zealand continued.

After more than 3,000 nautical miles of racing, there was little to choose between the leading teams after a sea-saw day – Warsash skipper Walker, along with Poole’s Alex Higby and Hamble’s Simon Fisher, on board Abu Dhabi Azzam, trailing first-placed Dongfeng by just two nautical miles.

The leg, from Sanya, China, to Auckland, has been the closest so far of the 40,000-mile contest with numerous lead changes in the past 48 hours.

Walker was enjoying the close battle.

“Huge clouds, loads of rain, massive gains and losses. As fast as we make plans in the nav station we are having to tear them up and start again,” said the race veteran.

“It’s turning into a fantastic race and with light winds forecast for the end it will surely be a nail biter.”

Team Brunel, under the guidance of veteran Lymington navigator Andrew Cape, enjoyed a spell at the front and currently lie in fifth – just 12nm off the lead.

Meanwhile, fellow Hampshire sailor Sam Davies, skipper of SCA, was 67nm off the leaders.