The Volvo Ocean Race game, an online virtual race which follows the same route and rules as the actual race, has sparked an uproar from its 100,000 users by removing a course buoy from the route after Leg 3 had commenced.

The buoy, at the southern tip of Sri Lanka, was to be left to port and stated as such in the race briefing:

"Leg 3 - Cochin to Singapore

Departing Kochi in mid-December, the fleet will first have to negotiate the southern tip of both India and Sri Lanka."

Many boats had passed or commited to this buoy when it was mysteriously removed.  This alteration favoured a number of boats that had passed Sri Lanka to the north in more favourable winds.

If the game followed the route of the actual race, as reported, this northerly course would be in an exclusion zone.  The Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka is relatively shallow, with depths as little as 3 metres and a chain of reef shouls named Rama's (or Adam's) Bridge that would make navigation extremely difficult.

With a Volvo car being offered as a prize and with users paying to 'upgrade' their boats, this move is proving somewhat unpopular, with many racers threatening to pull out of the virtual race altogether and demand a refund.

One user commented "Is this a joke?  Its pretty clear in the briefing that 96000 people received.  The bouy was there at the start. 90,000 people got the notice from administration.  Most of us would have gone north if not for that notice and the bouy"

Another wrote "The course to be sailed for each leg shall be as designated by the VOR itself and all gates/waypoints etc must be observed by all Yachts in the Virtual Volvo Ocean race Game.

This is clear; there was a bouy on the southern tip of Sri Lanka and the dotted course lie shows that the boats are required to pass south of that island. How can that be open to interpretation?"

Game administrators have promised to find a solution and have stated that they will be working with the organisers of the real race to check the rules.

This is apparently not the first time complaints have been leveled at the game administrators.  Previous legs of the race have been criticised for unfair bias between some boats.