Sailing: McDonald edges closer to victory

Nursing both an encouraging lead and three sick crew-members, Neal McDonald had victory and a morale-boosting eight points in his sights for Assa Abloy as he tackled the final miles into Auckland last night. The cheers on the dockside will be inspiring, the relief internal at reversing the bad results of the first two legs of the Volvo Ocean Race and the sacking of the former skipper Roy Heiner after the first. Both will undoubtedly be accompanied by bowman Jason Carrington insisting on being back on deck.

Carrington collapsed on deck just hours after leaving Hobart with severe stomach pains, running a fever with traces of bleeding. He could not eat or drink properly, but his fellow-crewman Klabbe Nylof consulted with doctors in England and instituted a course of intra-muscular injections of anti-biotics. Thought was also given to lifting Carrington off at Cape Reinga.

But, by yesterday, navigator Mark Rudiger wrote: "Jason's temperature is normal and he is feeling better. He would like to stay on board unless doctors advise he must depart." McDonald had thought it better to take Carrington off, but, as things improved, he said: "The situation is not life threatening and Jason is a tough lad. He is in his bunk, eating and drinking again, so we continue to Auckland, fighting to keep our lead." Nylof was also looking after the match leader Magnus Olsson, confined below with injuries to back and ribs after a fall just before the boat reached Hobart. Guillermo Altadil is also laid low with a stomach infection.

As Grant Dalton maintained an apparently safe second place in Amer Sports One, 31 miles behind the fight for third remains open between John Kostecki in illbruck, Jez Fanstone in News Corp and Kevin Shoebridge in Tyco. Fanstone is hoping to find a passing lane around illbruck.

Shoebridge also wants a passing lane but joins Dee Smith, a watch leader on Amer One, in thinking they have spotted a gap in illbruck's armoury – a touch of the slows compared with their own boats in light airs.