ASSA ABLOY last night won the third leg of the Volvo Ocean Race by a clear 20 miles from Amer Sports One.

Hamble's Neal McDonald and his crew arrived in Waitemata Harbour, New Zealand, at 6.20am local time (17.20 GMT) after weaving their way between the mainland and the numerous islands scattering the shoreline.

It was a remarkable achievement for the Assa Abloy crew after they were forced to sail with only eight men at times, because of injury or illness.

Assa Abloy navigator Mark Rudiger said: "The win means a real turnaround for us in the way we are perceived.

"It also gives us more strength within the team, confidence and a feeling of accomplishment.

"We have finally achieved what we set out to do."

After winning the Sydney to Hobart race, Assa, built in Woolston by Lymington firm Green Marine left Hobart en route to Auckland and chose a radical northerly route through the Tasman Sea.

It was a gamble that proved a winner for navigator Rudiger but one that was made with caution after the disastrous tactical call on the second leg that saw Assa drop from second to sixth place on the final approach to Sydney.

However, the high-pressure ridge dominating the area ahead of them in the approach to Auckland was forcing them to slow right down, while the chasing pack closed in. Their concern was that they may park leaving their rivals to catch up, or perhaps sail around them.

The advances in the third leg were made despite a series of problems which saw Swedish medic Klas Nylof attend to three sick crewmembers, including Lymington's Jason Carrington who collapsed on deck suffering a serious intestinal complaint, but is now out of danger.

"Klas Nylof, our senior onboard physician, has been a busy boy," reported Rudiger, in a message from the boat.

"Since departing Hobart, there have been daily calls for him to treat three onboard patients. First, Magnus Olsson took a bad fall coming into Hobart and injured his back and ribs.

"He has been confined to duties below deck, which has been a huge help for us always having food and hot drinks, as well as helping me in the Nav station.

"Then Jason became ill with a suspected internal infection, and Guillermo (Altadill) also had lower stomach pain. If I had to pick an outstanding sailor for this leg it would be Dr Nylof."

On fourth-placed Newscorp, skippered by the Lymington yachtsman Jez Fanstone, the problem was not so much health as hygiene.

"The inside of the boat has a 'pong' about it of wet clothes, smelly feet and bodies," said crewman Ross Field.

"I would say that this is the worst the boat has been since we started in England and I don't know why because it's been a short trip - only nine days."

Despite fitting a new rudder in Sydney, Team Tyco was lying in a disappointing fifth place but skipper Kevin Shoebridge was keeping his largely Hampshire-based crew busy with a frenzy of sail changes - at least 20 in a 24-hour period.