Damaged Volvo Ocean Race yacht Team Sanya arrived in Tauranga last night having been towed in from East Cape.

The ocean racer was forced to abandon the Southern Ocean leg of the race because of rudder damage suffered a week ago.

Sanya at the Bridge Marina A pier. Picture: Bridget Cooper.

The rudder bearings were also mangled, preventing the crew from deploying the reserve race rudder.

The emergency rudder was used to steer the boat towards New Zealand.

Team Sanya shore manager Nick Bice is the lone Aussie in a crew comprising mostly New Zealanders.

The boat carries the burgee of the Onerahi Yacht Club, Whangarei. Sanya is on Hainan Island, Southern China.

Today the team is preparing to pull the rig from the yacht before it is loaded onto a container ship at Sulphur Point tomorrow.

Team Sanya will make its return to competing in the Volvo Ocean Race in Miami.

Team Sanya will miss Leg 6 and return for the Miami In-Port Race on May 19 and the start of Leg 7 to Lisbon on May 20.

sanya volvo race 2 from Sun Live on Vimeo.