Back to normal in Volvo

Ocean racing proper has restarted in the Volvo Ocean Race and Camper is looking for a significant improvement in performance on the 3300-mile leg to Sanya in China.

The Emirates Team New Zealand combination made a good start when the race restarted in Male in the Maldives after the fleet was shipped from Sharjah to avoid chances of piracy affecting the race.

The Camper crew led the fleet from Male on a course which takes the fleet across the Indian Ocean to the north-west tip of Sumatra then down through the conjested waters of the Malacca Straits before heading north-east through the South China Sea to finish in Sanya.

With an equatorial crossing, early light to moderate winds on the leg will be replaced by squally conditions to put pressure on sail changes and re-trimming of the boat by the crew.

Camper skipper Chris Nicholson said the crew was looking to up their performance and to gain maximum points on the legb.

"We need to do better, end of story. We've spent a lot of time over the last few days preparing for this leg, looking at where we can improve our performance and how we can make the most out of the weather patterns ahead.

"Boat and crew are both in great shape and it's just great to be out sailing and back in proper racing mode after the stop-start nature of the last few weeks.

"I think we're all looking forward to a true ocean leg rather than the drag-race-type format we've seen recently," he said.

Nicholson said boat speed would not win the next stage, it was going to be won by being smart and keeping the boat in one piece.

"I rate our ability to do well in those areas," he said.

"If I could use one word to describe this leg it would be 'worrying' and I think the range of conditions and the obstacles it will present means that it won't be decided until the closing stages."