Barcelona World Race skippers Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron, 100 miles from Cape Horn, are a little closer to land than second place Mapfre and so are experiencing more unsettled breezes. They look to have winds in the region of 35-45kts, but as they get closer the breeze will drop to something closer to 30-35.

On their current course Virbac-Paprec 3 would pass just three-four miles off the famous Cape, expected at between 10:00 and 11:00 UTC.

Mapfre’s Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez had 180 miles to sail to the point at 04:30 and both were making 18-20kts of boat speed.

In third place Renault Z.E Sailing Team validated the eastern end of the final gate of the course – the East Pacific Gate – at 04:00 UTC, passing some 90 miles north of the gate.

Neutrogena have gained again overnight making 37 miles to lie about 14 miles behind Renault Z.E Sailing Team, sailing in 35kts of NW’ly breeze which will back into the W today.

Mirabaud are 300 miles to the gate and might see the breeze they have, 30kts SW’ly, ease today and drop back to 15-20kts.

The distance between Groupe Bel and Estrella Damm remains about 75 miles in longitude, both just having passed the Mid-Pacific gate with Groupe Bel fastest in the fleet first thing this morning on the one hour speed average, making 19.6kts.

Kito De Pavant this morning reported very variable up-and-down winds, 20-40kts, gusty squally with bad, crossed seas.

Hugo Boss have fairly straightforward direct sailing in 20-33kts of breeze, GAES Centros Auditivos some 211 miles behind and in the north of the Hugo Boss track have slightly less breeze. Andy Meiklejohn and Wouter Verbraak have 240 miles to their next gate, the Mid-Pacific.

Forum Maritim Catala are poised to leave Wellington this morning, off the dock at 0905hrs UTC, while Central Lechera Asturiana are downwind in lighter breezes and so only making 4-6 kts with 85 miles to Wellington.

We Are Water have 390 miles to sail to Cape Farewell but have quite complex weather today, their 45kts of NW’ly will go ahead and go lighter becoming more variable in direction during out afternoon, their night.

To track the fleet, click here.