Sailing: Mass crew changes as fleet heads north

Fast and furious, wet and windy are the prospects for the opening four hours of the eighth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race, which starts off from La Rochelle today. The weather will make for tough racing conditions as the fleet of eight heads north round Ushant for the English Channel on its 1,075-mile battle through the Straits of Dover and up the North Sea to Gothenburg.

Crew changes to suit the characteristics of the leg see the overall leader, John Kostecki, bringing in American sailor Ed Adams. Kevin Shoebridge calls on Mike Quilter to help in his push to lift Tyco from third to fifth on the two remaining legs.

Jez Fanstone has replaced Stuart Childerley with Jeremy Robinson on News Corp and Steve Cotton, having left Fanstone's crew, returns to the fray with Gunnar Krantz on SEB. Lisa McDonald and the all-woman crew of Amer Sports Too brings in the French sailor Christine Briand to strengthen both helming and navigation skills.