Hampshire sailors will have to remain patient after the Volvo Ocean Race’s fifth leg start was delayed because of a forecast of 125mph winds in New Zealand.

The round-the-world yacht race was meant to set to leave Auckland on Sunday for Itajai in Brazil.

But local seafarers, including Ian Walker and Simon Fisher on board the Abu Dhabi Azzam, will not be departing until 1am British time on Monday at the earliest because Cylone Pam is set to hit the area.

The weather front predicted for the Pacific this weekend will see the six-strong fleet of identical boats remain moored in Auckland until conditions are appropriate.

"We're making this decision now because we don't know the exact track of this tropical cyclone yet," said Volvo Ocean Race boss Knut Frostad.

"It's unusually big and essentially it's blocking the road for our sailors, so it's prudent seamanship from our side to leave them with options."

The severe weather, including wind and heavy rainfall, is likely to smash into parts of New Zealand’s North Island on Monday and Tuesday.

The grade five tropical cyclone could hit the area hard, according to reports, meaning the 6,776 nautical-mile voyage through the Southern Ocean – which is known to be treacherous – is postponed.

However, the in-port race in Auckland on Saturday is still set to go ahead.

Gosport-based Dee Caffari, who is on the Team SCA boat with Hampshire skipper Sam Davies, wrote on her Facebook page about the delay.

“Tropical Cyclone Pam is on her way and she looks nasty,” wrote Caffari.

“We are heading from New Zealand across the Southern Ocean to notorious Cape Horn and then onwards to Itajai, Brazil.

“This is the leg we all love to hate. This is the leg we all want to do. This is the leg that the Volvo Ocean Race is all about. This is the leg of big winds, big waves and big boat speeds. This is also the leg that is cold, wet and windy.

“It is with mixed emotions that sailors head back into the Southern Ocean. It is on the one hand a very special magical place. It can be great sailing with amazing sights. It can also be the scariest place on the planet where rescue is often not an option.”