Rhythm of the Race Slowest it has been in a long time.  You have to look all the way to 11th place and Voila Fr. for a double digit speed.  It's tactical downwind sailing in shifting varying in speed winds.  

Standings table 

Top 3

1.  Aquitiane Innovations  36:1 South 17:2 West
2.  PRB Michel Desjoyeaux 35:4 South 17 West + 7 miles 
3.  Sill Roland Jourdain 33:5 South 18:0 West +117 miles

Fleet round up section 

Yves Parlier has lost the major portion of his lead.  Sailing at just 4.1 knots, Aquitaine Innovations is listed at only 7  miles ahead of PRB.  This is a loss of 61 miles in 24 hours.  Posting an even greater gain is Sill pulling in 82 miles on Parlier in the last 24 hours.

Parlier has been becalmed at times, his speed staying in the single digits.  PRB at times has shown double digit speeds and has not slowed as Parlier has.  

Team Group 4 has become the final boat in the fleet to cross the equator.  Mike Golding continues his voyage after a delayed start due being dismasted.

Skipper Communications  

Ellen Macarthur Kingfisher "Yesterday was a day of good spirits, with a few naps and a bit of dancing to a Santana CD. Only days now before the thought of dancing as the sun sets seems a long way away."

Javier Sanso Old Spice "These conditions are good for the boat, she goes smoothly, no pressure when you~Rre sailing at 120 degrees apparent wind. I took down the big genoa as it was proving to be too much for the autopilot. I have lost a knot of speed but I can sail straight like this."

Pasquale De Grégorio Wind "The wind is 20 - 25 knots and I have 1 reef, staysail and an edge of genoa up front. The boat sails well like that. Not overstressing the autopilot like that."

March Thiercelin Active Wear "At one moment I thought I might end up 600 miles behind the way things were going and that the race was game over for me!"

Roland Jourdain Sill "I~Rve seen loads of birds actually and I want to surf on the Internet to try and identify them. I~Rve also seen two dozen whales in the last 3 days, big ones too."

Patrice Carpentier "Oh, an event yesterday - I shaved! Now I feel like a handsome young man again! Ready for the Paris Boat Show too! With all the great weather we~Rre having I~Rm 10 degrees up on Pete Goss~R performance 4 years ago."

Dominique Wavre UBP "It~Rs quite possible that we~Rll see a third start to this race. It~Rs really a very passionate regatta and fantastic that we~Rve all grouped together again."

Raphael Dinelli Sogal Extenso "I have to get some weight on the rear end to avoid ploughing into the Southern Ocean waves. I am using boxes and ballasts to maintain the longitudinal trim."

Mike Golding Group 4 ". I~Rm also working on a little plan to try and restore the wind instruments on the masthead by scavenging wire from all around the boat, joining it all together, inserting it inside the Vectran and using that to hang it externally on the mast - it~Rll involve 2 trips up the mast."

Current weather conditions For the lead boats winds are from NE to NW except for Parlier who has light west winds.  Farther back stronger north winds.

Weather Forecast It will be tough and go with likely periods of light winds as the leaders are in between conflicting weather systems.  Once through them the wind will go west.

What does it all mean

Tense and tactical with Parlier finally faltering.  It's like a leeward leg of a course race has been thrown in as the fleet is in the middle of the South Atlantic.  For now it looks like someone will have to build a new lead by finding the fastest route to the west winds.