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Amer Sports One chases first place

Dalton: hard work helped more than luck

LONDON, England (CNN) - The skipper of Amer Sports One, Grant Dalton, says his team will "chase hard" for first place as the Volvo Ocean Race gears up for the start of the fourth leg.

Amer Sports One lies in second place, three points behind Illbruck, after three legs from Southampton, UK to Auckland, New Zealand. There are six legs remaining of the round-the-world race.

"We are chasing hard for first and I'm not sure that tweaking a little here, a little there, would give us the edge that I want," Dalton said.

"We are working all the angles."

The team's current placing was better than Dalton had expected before the race began.

"If you had asked me before the start at Southampton where I thought we would be in Auckland I would have said we would be… in fifth place. Hopefully not too far of the pace.

"As it turns out we are only three points down with only a third of the points awarded."

He attributed the team's success to skilful sailing, dismissing some critics.

"Some of the experts say we're lucky to be in second place. I would say that we have worked hard to be here.

"Luck has been on our side on a couple of occasions, but we have also sailed very well."

He rated his seven competitors as "still very delicately balanced. Very, very even."

He predicted Assa Abloy and Tyco will become more confident in their sailing, with Illbruck continuing to lead.

Leg four from Auckland starts on January 27, with the boats expected to reach Rio by February 19.