With winds forecast to touch gale force conditions again later today, the VO60s will continue to face wet and windy conditions. Initially the gains were for Amer Sports One and djuice to the east, then illbruck, Tyco, News Corp and Assa Abloy took a small gain back; now it appears that the gains could come for the boats in the east again.

This is all due to the tricky and fast changing weather patterns due over the next few days and these gains and losses leave the boats fighting hard to take just that extra mile on each other, as the fleet remains so close together. It will be a few days yet before it will be clear as to whether the inshore or offshore route has paid.

Amer Sports Too spent almost four hours with very little wind after rounding Cape Horn yesterday, but is now sailing along at around 10 knots.

Position Report, Day 18, 0358 GMT

1 ILBK

2 AONE

3 TYCO (50 miles from leader)

4 DJCE (81 miles from leader)

5 NEWS (88 miles from leader)

6 AART (1 miles from leader)

7 ATOO (550 miles from leader)

8 TSEB (1,148 miles from leader)