Rhythm of the Race For the caliber of boat in this fleet a relatively slow day with 3 boats in the top 10 under 10 knots.

Standings table 

Top 3

1.  PRB 56 South 87 West
2.  Kingfisher 53 South 101 West + 535 miles 
3.  Sill  53 South 115 West +663 miles

Fleet round up section

Michel Desjoyeaux has begun descending in latitude towards Cape Horn.  He's sailing at a true wind angle of 135° at a speed of 11.7 knots.

2nd place Kingfisher has a freer angle of 150° 535 miles back of PRB.  Kingfisher should be able to make up some distance today.

Active Wear in 4th place is now within 100 miles of Sill.  Of the top 4 skipper Marc Thiercelin is the most experienced in global races.  He'll need all his miles to pull back into 1st.

Skipper Communications

Mike Golding Group 4 ". Apart from Mich getting away from me to the East, I can’t say I’m wholly disappointed , although it spoils the fun of being in the South. You want to be roaring along and I haven’t done that for a few days...The air in the South is so cold and dense, and gusts come through regularly, which would cause problems for the spinnaker. It’s not a forgiving spinnaker, you have to be helming to get the best out of it... I have a new staysail for Cape Horn, so sail wise, the boat is good."


Bernard Gallay Voila Fr. "It surpises me. In the Vendée 93, in the Indian ocean, I had force 8-9 during nearly 15 days! so I left with that idea and I haven’t had a third of what I had the last time. For the moment I have had 40 knots maximum and it was at the beginning of the Indian ocean."

Ellen Macarthur Kingfisher Challenges "Cape Horn beckons, and as the hours pass we become closer and closer to this ancient maritime monument. How diferent it feels to be approaching this time - very much in the middle of an adventure, as opposed to our last passage - very much the beginning."

Current Weather Wind is down in strength for PRB, force 5 as opposed to force 6 for 2nd though 4th place.

Weather Forecast Could be a light, upwind passage around Cape Horn for PRB.

What does it all mean

With PRB scheduled to round Cape Horn tomorrow, we'll begin tracking the sailors reaction to this significant nautical signpost. To see how those who sailed Around Alone reacted, click here.