Spirit of Sark skippered by 38-year-old Duggie Gillespie has won leg 2 of the Global Challenge. In a close race-long battle BP Explorer took second and BG SPIRIT third.

Just 35 minutes and two miles separated the top three boats at the finish.

Duggie Gillespie and his team aboard Spirit of Sark even managed to supersede current Vendee Globe sailor Conrad Humphreys’ Leg 2 win in the BT Global Challenge 2000/01 by several hours, so creating a new course record.

Friends and family poured onto the pontoons in Wellington to greet their family and friends who had been racing hard and fast, night and day for nearly five weeks.

The next group of yachts -, Me to You VAIO and Samsung and SAIC La Jolla are due in from 16.00 GMT today.

Leader board

1st Spirit of Sark 36 d 6h 56m 15s

2nd BP Explorer 36 d 7h 31m 56s

3rd BG SPIRIT 36 d 7h 34m 19s

Me to You 89 miles to the finish

VAIO 94 miles to the finish

Samsung 101 miles to the finish

SAIC La Jolla 115 miles to the finish

Team Save the Children 148 miles to the finish

Barclays Adventurer 149 miles to the finish

Pindar 311 miles to the finish

Team Stelmar 2,458 miles to the finish

Imagine it. Done 97 miles to the finish (retired from leg)