So near, yet so far? Phil Sharp, currently 40 miles west off Guadeloupe is facing a frustrating time as he heads for the finish of the Route du Rhum. Unfortunately Sharp has hit another soft patch of wind and is managing to notch up not much more than a knot of speed.

Sharp was hoping to reach the finish by this afternoon but the latest data from his boat suggests a finish in the early hours of Friday morning. Fortunately for Sharp he still has a 200-mile cushion over his nearest rival Gildas Morvan.

Speaking to Tim Collins – a member of Sharp’s shore team this morning – Sharp said: “I really just want to get in to Guadeloupe now. The last day has been pretty uneventful and a lot of the excitement has gone now that I’ve managed to break away from Gildas and I’m not looking over my shoulder so much. The only positive for me is that everyone seems to be stuck in the same conditions and going nowhere. It’ll be great to get in and see my family and friends and I’m looking forward to hopefully celebrating a victory with a couple of beers and a good night’s sleep.”