Ellen MacArthur and her team aboard Kingfisher is just over10 miles from the leader in the Regatta Rubicon which started on Saturday from St Nazaire (Brittany).

The leader of the this 2,800 mile race to Santa Margarita (Italy) is Tiscali, is in close combat with Sill Plein Fruit and Kingfisher who are currently navigating close to the Portuguese coast approximately 40 miles from their next direct competitors.

Ellen commented from the boat this morning: “We have had lighter airs in the last 24 hours. Now navigating in good conditions, and this morning we seem to have recovered the miles we lost during the night.”

Following Bob Escoffier’s withdrawal (Adecco-Etoile Horizon) yesterday seven boats are still in the race. The forecast is for calm and light winds so expect some place changes within the next 24 hours.

Race positions

1. TISCALI GLOBAL CHALLENGE : Simone BIANCHETTI, 719.0 miles to finish

2. Sill Plein Fruit : Jourdain, 0.4 miles behind leader

3. KINGFISHER : MacArthur, 10.7 miles behind leader

4. TEMENOS : Dominique WAVRE, 55.2 miles

behind leader 5. L’Heautontimoroumenos : Antoine KOCH, 57.0 miles behind leader

6. BOBST GROUP-ARMOR LUX : Bernard STAMM, 82.9 miles behind leader

7. VIRBAC : Jean Pierre DICK, 97.0 miles behind leader

8. ADECCO-ETOILE HORIZON : Bob ESCOFFIER, Retired due to rudder problems