Camper sheds lead in tacking duel

The round-the-world fleet was stalled by light winds with Team New Zealand trying to position themselves best for the next joy ride towards Portugal on this topsy-turvy seventh leg.

Camper saw their hard-earned lead evaporate yesterday as the six boats engaged in a tacking duel in 20 knots of wind, beating up wind in the Atlantic crossing. When they hit the light airs of a massive high, Camper had slipped to third with Abu Dhabi, the surprising pace-setter, 23 miles ahead.

But Camper were relatively comfortable with their positioning, believing they could be well-placed to take advantage of the next opportunity. And with predictions of another ‘‘park-up’’ before Lisbon, there is still plenty to play out in this leg which is expected to finish at the end of the week.

High-speed sailing conditions are forecast to last until about 24 hours out from the finish line where the boats will have to cross a ridge of high pressure with associated light winds forming off the Portuguese coast that could very well deliver one final shake-up of the leaderboard.

Camper trimmer Rob Salthouse says that the key focus was about getting into the new breeze in the best shape possible.

‘‘We are now trying to work our way north up around this high and into the next low pressure,’’ Salthouse said last night.