INQUIRER Sports

GALWAY--Swedish entry Ericsson 4 extended its lead in the seventh stage on Volvo race around the world Saturday, one day ahead of the yachts' expected arrival in Ireland.

Ericsson 4, the overall leader and pre-race favorite, was barreling ahead at more than 20 knots, some 30 nautical miles ahead of Sino-Irish yacht Green Dragon and US entry Puma Ocean Racing.

"Galway should prepare itself for a grandstand finish in the early hours of Sunday morning," said Green Dragon's British skipper Ian Walker.

"The race is now all about speed - there are no tactical options. We are running extra people on deck and putting every last drop of energy into the last 360 miles to the finish."

Spain's Telefonica Blue, second overall, was back in fourth position, some 50 miles behind the stage leader, a disappointing performance in the stage, which began in Boston on May 16.

A win in Galway, worth eight points, would allow Ericsson 4 to extend its lead over Telefonica Blue and Puma, with just two more stages to go before the finish in St Petersburg, Russia next month.

This year's Volvo Ocean Race began in Alicante, Spain in October.

Classification in the seventh stage on Saturday at 1000 GMT:

1. Ericsson 4 (SWE)/Torben Grael (BRA) 303 miles from Galway

2. Green Dragon (CHN/EIR/Ian Walker (GBR) 32 miles behind

3. Puma Ocean Racing (USA)/Ken Read (USA) at 35 miles

4. Telefonica Blue (ESP)/Bouwe Bekking (NED) 47

5. Delta Lloyd (NED)/Roberto Bermudez (ESP) 50

6. Ericsson 3 (SWE)/Magnus Olsson (SWE) 79

7. Telefonica Black (ESP)/Fernando Echavarri (ESP) 80