Volvo Ocean Race fleet sets out on 6th leg toward US

Published Apr. 19, 2015 4:35 p.m. ET

foxsports

ITAJAI, Brazil (AP) American boat Team Alvimedica led the Volvo Ocean Race fleet out of Itajai on Sunday as it left Brazil and headed toward Newport, Rhode Island, on the sixth leg of the around-the-world sailing competition.

A lack of winds forced organizers to cut short an in-port circuit before the six boats set off for the race's only North American stopover, a 5,010-nautical mile journey that's expected to take around 17-20 days to complete.

Overall race leader Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing had a poor start to the sixth leg as the boat found itself on the wrong side of the starting line and had to turn around in slow motion before setting off.

The nine-month race is set to end on June 27 in Goteborg, Sweden.