Rhythm of the Race With 20 knot+ NW winds, the leaders are rushing through the beginnings of the Southern Ocean.  

Standings table 

Top 3

1.  Aquitiane Innovations  43:3 South :2 East
2.  PRB Michel Desjoyeaux 43:1 South 2:3 West + 95 miles 
3.  Sill Roland Jourdain 40:4 South 2:3 West +161 miles

Fleet round up section 

From 1st place Yves Parlier reports, " I beat the record on Sunday to Monday: I traversed 419 miles of 24 hours according to my data GPS."  This an average of 17.46 knots. Parlier reported a GPS record high speed of 28.3 knots.  

Such a 24 hour run would give Parlier the record for distance sailed in a single handed monohull.  The current record is 392 miles set by Marc Thiercelin during the 1998-99 Around Alone race.  If Parlier's record is confirmed it likely will be the first of serveral times the mark falls.

For the leaders its still quick sailing.  Aquitaine Innovations at 17.2 knots, 2nd place PRB at 16.0, Active Wear in 4th at 15.1, and 3rd place Sill shows 14.3 knots.

For Sill this fast sailing has meant 26 miles of gain on PRB.  For PRB the past 24 hours have seen 19 miles lost to AI and Yves Parlier.

Skipper Communications  

Mike Golding Group 4 "I~Rm sleeping well, working is hard as the boat~Rs heeled over and it~Rs wet on deck, so I~Rm getting through the jobs list below deck.I still have some more eggs and bacon to make myself an English breakfast but when they run out I~Rve got two beautiful jambons (hams) to eat afterwards!"

Ellen Macarthur Kingfisher "I crossed into the 40~Rs with a knot in my stomach but I have been waiting for a long time to live out this dream. I passed under a grey sky, 25 - 30 knots of wind and birds everywhere."

Raphael Dinelli Sogal Extenso "Even though I~Rll stop for may be 2 - 3 days above all I must continue and complete the circumnavigation."

Thierry Dubois Solidaires "The positions will carry on shuffling around a lot for a few more days, and it will be a battle for 4th - 10th place in my opinion. It doesn~Rt surprise me but it does frustrate me that Yves is leading. I haven~Rt changed my plan and am keeping the pace up and more when I can."

Thomas Coville Sobedo ". It was quite impressive when we crossed the fortieth, the temperatures dropped as well as the light: nearly without any transition. Within 2 days we have lost a lot. Last night it was freezing and humid: Southern atmosphere!"

Current weather conditions Force 6 NW winds for the lead boats.

Weather Forecast A good sized depression to the south of the leaders should provide strong following winds.

What does it all mean

For now, no stopping Parlier.  In the early stages of the Southern Ocean leg he sets a 24 hour record- what more can he do?