The Volvo Ocean Race has begun its journey across the Atlantic from the United States to France.
Eight boats set sail Sunday from Annapolis, Maryland, crossing under the massive Chesapeake Bay Bridge amid wet and dreary weather. The nearly 6,300 kilometer journey is expected to take about two weeks. The 18-meter long boats will cross the water at speeds of up to 65-kilometers-per-hour.
The illbruck Challenge holds the overall lead after the race's sixth leg, which ended in Baltimore on April 18 after a 1,400 kilometer sail from Miami. Second is ASSA ABLOY.
The seventh-leg of the Volvo Ocean Race ends in La Rochelle, France. The race began in Britain in September and ends June in Kiel, Germany. On the way to France, boats will have to contend with the Gulf Stream, and possible ice bergs as they take a northerly route past Newfoundland and across the Atlantic. About five or six boats are capable of winning at this point.