SINGAPORE : The last boat in the third leg of the gruelling Volvo Ocean Race crossed the finishing line into Singapore early Wednesday, just after 3am local time.

The beleaguered Delta Lloyd had engine failure on the way in, followed by a major rainstorm, which meant that its arrival ceremony had to be shifted indoors.

The bad luck began before the start of the race in Cochin, when it ran aground and was stranded for nearly 15 minutes. Then, on day six, it suffered damage to the keel.

The boat may now be safely in Singapore waters, but at the time - with a thousand miles to go - the team had thought they would not make it and had thought of returning to India.

But the team fought on and arrived 24 hours after the rest of the boats.

The boat is now undergoing repairs. - CNA/ms