American Mike Plant took the lead in...

American Mike Plant took the lead in the start of the BOC Challenge single-handed around-the-world race in Newport, R.I., despite a minor collision with one of the other race boats, organizers said.

Plant’s boat, Duracell, and the Class II sloop, New Spirit of Ipswich, skippered by Englishman Josh Hall, bumped into each other as the 24 competitors were readying for the start of the race, said BOC spokesman Tony Fairchild.

The first leg of the race--6,800-miles to Cape Town, South Africa--started as scheduled despite a torrential downpour that cleared just in time for the start.