AUCKLAND — Chinese boat Dongfeng Race Team led the Volvo Ocean Race fleet out of Auckland's harbor for the fifth leg to Brazil Wednesday after Cyclone Pam delayed the start for three days. The six boats were kept in port on the advice of their skippers and race organizers to avoid the cyclone that caused massive destruction in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, claiming at least 11 lives. The fleet faces a daunting 6,776-nautical mile (12,549-kilometer) journey to their destination in Itajaí, Brazil, battling treacherous conditions through the Southern Ocean, rounding Cape Horn and then sailing through the Atlantic for the first time since November. It's the toughest test for the crews taking part in the nine-month, 38,739-nautical mile (71,745 kilometers) race. — AP
