Things are looking good for Steve Fossett and crew aboard Cheyenne as they continue their final sprint up the Atlantic to the round the world speed record finish line at Ushant. They are now 1,563 miles from home – four and a half days ahead of the existing record held by Orange I – and hope to cross the Ushant finish line on Monday 5 April.

On day 55 of their Round The World Sailing record the 125ft catamaran benefited from a steady south-easterly breeze and logged 489 miles at an average 24 hour speed of 20.4kts.

To complete the course by Monday Fossett and crew will have to clock up three ‘big mile’ days. Fortunately there are excellent weather prospects for the coming three days and navigator Adrienne Cahalan reckons the situation looks promising, commenting: “We are lined up now between a low pressure system to our west and a high pressure located to the our east. Our intention once we are into south winds at the leading edge of the front is to turn north-east and head toward the finish line.”