While Vincent Riou (PRB) revels in his leading position, Jean Le Cam (Bonduelle) has slipped through into second place while Mike Golding (Ecover) fixes his broken main halyard.

Sébastien Josse (VMI) who had engine failure (which serves to recharge the onboard batteries which feeds automatic pilot and boat electronics) overnight may be able make up some considerable ground on the front of the fleet as there is a chance that his more southerly position will allow him to get the right side of the anticyclone ahead of him. He’s currently doing 10.3kts in fourth position, 652.2 miles from the leader.

Further back things don’t look quite so bright for Joé Seeten (Arcelor Dunkerque), Conrad Humphreys (Hellomoto) and Bruce Schwab (Ocean Planet). They are all in a depression giving them 45 knot averages and gusts of up to 60 knots, torn between heading further south off course into less wind with an increased risk of encountering icebergs or toughing it out on a better course in bigger winds.

Nearly 6,000 miles from the front of the fleet, Karen Leibovici may well be caught by a warm front on Wednesday evening and then a cold front on Thursday evening, the latter giving her 30-40 knot winds and big seas. At her current speed, she may outpace the system though.

Positions (1000)

1 PRB Vincent Riou 37 48.00′ S 36 44.60′ W

2 Bonduelle Jean Le Cam 39 25.08′ S 34 17.24′ W 13.0 miles from leader

3 Ecover Mike Golding 37 54.40′ S 37 15.40′ W 21.2 miles from leader

4 VMI Sébastien Josse 45 12.04′ S 49 59.44′ W 652.2 miles from leader

5 Temenos Dominique Wavre 47 50.80′ S 53 58.88′ W 871.6 miles from leader

6 Virbac-Paprec Jean-Pierre Dick 54 29.04′ S 79 19.84′ W 1979.9 miles from leader

7 Skandia Nick Moloney 49 22.76′ S 99 07.36′ W 2770.0 miles from leader

8 Arcelor Dunkerque Joé Seeten 53 08.24′ S 121 13.92′ W 3394.8 miles from leader

9 Hellomoto Conrad Humphreys 52 39.64′ S 129 38.36′ W 3675.2 miles from leader

10 Ocean Planet Bruce Schwab 50 59.76′ S 133 33.36′ W 3850.8 miles from leader

11 Max Havelaar / Best Western Benoît Parnaudeau 52 44.40′ S 143 27.48′ W 4142.3 miles from leader

12 ROXY Anne Liardet 51 24.60′ S 171 05.72′ W 5113.5 miles from leader

13 AKENA Vérandas Raphaël Dinelli 49 45.32′ S 176 36.84′ E 5576.2 miles from leader

14 Benefic Karen Leibovici 48 11.28′ S 167 54.00′ E 5921.5 miles from leader