The leaders of the Vendée Globe, Vincent Riou and Jean Le Cam are continuing their little dance routine in the Sea of Tasmania. More than 200 miles behind, Sébastien Josse has just broken away from the British yachtsman Mike Golding, who managed to get back to within 30 miles of his wake, and is suffering from the fight this morning.

The average speeds posted by the rest of the fleet appear to indicate that the worst of the weather has gone by, without the boats being too badly affected. Conrad Humphreys (Hellomoto) is still bringing up the rear end 3,780 miles from the leader Riou. He passed Crozet in Karen Leibovici (Benefic) et Raphaël Dinelli (Akena Verandas)’s wake. He now only has a few dozen miles to catch them up.

On the northern edge of the Kerguelen plateau, Anne Liardet put on a spurt to come within 65 miles of Benoit Parnaudeau (Max Havelaar/Best Western), stealing back 20 miles in 24 hours.

The race directors have been following Patrice Carpentier (VM Matériaux) and Joé Seeten (Arcelor Dunkerque) very closely since yesterday, and they are no doubt relieved that the centre of the low has moved off to their south. The two men underwent some horrific winds, but managed to avoid the worst of the storm.

At more than 13 knots, Arcelor-Dunkerque no longer seems to be affected by the seaweed caught up in her keel, which Joé did his utmost to get rid of yesterday. Patrice Carpentier is 700 miles from the first gateway under Australia. A gateway soon to be entered by Jean Pierre Dick (Virbac Paprec) and that Nick Moloney (Skandia) and Marc Thiercelin (Pro Form) will leave a long way to their south today (250 miles). Nick is only 550 miles from Cape Leeuwin and his native Australia.

Vincent Riou and Jean Le Cam are 11,840 miles from the finish this morning, which represents precisely half of the total theoretical distance (23,680 nautical miles ) of the Vendée Globe.