Steve Fossett and crew aboard the 125ft maxi-catamaran Cheyenne continued to grind out the miles yesterday, logging a further 488nm on their 23rd day on the official Round The World record course, an average of 22.5kts.

Having passed north of the Kerguelen Islands yesterday, their focus is now on a probable checkpoint about 925 miles south of Australia’s Cape Leeuwin – some 1,330nm due east of the big cat’s current position.

Steve Fossett and crew took a starboard gybe yesterday midday as they cleared the Kerguelens, heading south-east in search of consistent westerly winds. At the end of day 23 they found themselves at 51 degrees S latitude, 1,187nm ahead of the 2002 RTW position of Orange – a lead of about three days based on Orange’s 2002 mileage of the past days.

Latest information

Time: 05h10 GMT

Latitude: 51 04.140 S

Longitude: 79 45.250 E

Avgerage speed: 18.58kts

Distance to finish: 13 028.19 nm

Required average speed: 13.13kts