Sweden's Ericsson 4 on course for Volvo triumph

Sweden's Ericsson 4 was on course to take the Volvo race around-the-world yesterday after extending its lead with a home win in the eighth stage of the gruelling nine-month event.

The yacht arrived in the port of Marstrand near Gothenburg in southwest Sweden at around 5 a.m. after covering the 1,250-mile leg from Galway in Ireland in 12 hours, 57 minutes.

It finished just minutes ahead of US entry Puma Ocean Racing and Sino-Irish boat Green Dragon at the end of a tight race.

Ericsson 4, skippered by Brazil's two-time Olympic champion Torben Grael, now has a 15-point lead with just 20 points left to be won in the two remaining stages and one in-port race, and its overall victory appears all but certain.

Puma snatched second place in the overall standings from Telefonica Blue, which finished fourth in Marstrand.

"It was a very important result, a very close race," said Grael.

"Green Dragon was sailing really well and they had an excellent leg. We're very close to winning the race, but we're not there yet."

The seven teams will now spend three days in Marstrand before leaving on the short 500-mile leg to Stockholm.

Overall standings

1. Ericsson 4 102
2. Puma Ocean Racing 87
3. Telefonica Blue 86
4. Ericsson 3 64.5
5. Green Dragon 59
6. Telefonica Black 42
7. Delta Lloyd 35
8. Team Russia 10.5 (retired)