#VOLVO OCEAN RACE - The six Volvo Ocean Race teams have announced their crew line-ups for today's in-port race in Miami, Florida.
Yesterday the team skippers talked about their expectations on the eve of the race, which is set to be the most hotly contested of the series so far.
Mike Sanderson of the Irish-backed Team Sanya, which is currently languishing in last place, was sanguine about the team's chances heading into the transatlantic leg.
"There’s no point in us sailing the race a couple of thousand miles behind the fleet just for the sake of finishing, we’re too competitive for that," he said, "so we’re going to go and do our thing and do the thing how we know to do it and do our very best to keep the boat in one piece."
Ireland's Damian Foxall will be on deck once more as watch leader for the Groupama team, which hopes to return to form after the indignity of dismasting so close to victory on the fifth leg last month.
The Kerryman with battle with Wexford's Justin Slattery who is sailing with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, the debutante team that currently lies fifth place in the standings.
This week Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing welcomed a second Irish sailor on board in the shape of Fireball champion Kenny Rumball, who won a trip to Miami to meet his heroes and sail on the team's Volvo Open 70 race yacht.
Rumball's dream trip coincided with a visit by Volvo Ocean Race chiefs to Galway to check on preparations for the race finale, which is now just six weeks away.
