Over the next few position reports, it is likely that ABN AMRO ONE’s lead will be reduced as, after the rounding point of Ilha de Fernando de Noronha, the mark that they will next be measured to becomes the finish line in Cape Town.

Mike Sanderson (ABN AMRO ONE) is digging south now because the south Atlantic high sits right in his path to Cape Town, but how much to pay to the south is the question? The boats that paid the most to go west in the first half of this leg got paid back with interest. Will it be the case of he who digs the furthest south makes the biggest gains? Only time will tell.

“The game we’re playing at the moment is sticking to the safe route, heading south and basically eating up the miles so that as every six hours ticks by we receive weather information that takes us further and further across to Cape Town,” Sanderson explained today.

The chasing pack are pushing southwards in 12 knots of breeze, and only 7 nm separates Ericsson (Neal McDonald) in second place from fourth, Brasil 1 (Torben Grael) in fourth, with ABN AMRO TWO sandwiched between them.

Still becalmed in the doldrums, Sunergy and Friends (Grant Dalton) are surrounded by towering clouds and heavy rain storms.

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