ALICANTE, Spain — Dongfeng Race Team, the Chinese-backed crew whose hopes of victory in the Volvo Ocean Race were rocked when it had to quit the fifth leg because of a broken mast, has bounced back by taking the lead Sunday in the next 5,010-nautical mile stage from Brazil to the US. Dongfeng mast broke about 200 nautical miles from Cape Horn last month and they were forced to limp to Argentina for some makeshift repairs before a new rig was fitted in Itajaí, Brazil. After approaching 1,500 nautical miles of sailing in a week, all six boats in the fleet are bunched within 20 nautical miles of each other with Dongfeng protecting a narrow 5.7 nautical-mile advantage early Sunday over Dutch boat, Team Brunel, with Spanish challengers MAPFRE 1.3 nautical miles further adrift. — AP
