There is seemingly no stopping Grant Dalton’s Amer Sports One as she heads towards the finish line at Cape Town. She is currently 17 miles ahead of Illbruck on a beam reach in 20-25 knots of breeze and, with just 527 miles to go, she should finish late tomorrow night or early Thursday morning. Illbruck is expected a few hours later and Team Tyco’s estimated time of arrival is early Friday morning.

While the boys on Amer Sports One are threatening to win the opening leg of the Volvo Ocean Race, the all-female crew on the other Nautor Challenge yacht, Amer Sports Too, are having a torrid time at the back of the fleet. Together with Djuice Dragons and Team SEB, they still face over a week of upwind sailing.

“On the last three occasions we’ve tacked, there’s been a steady breeze direction but within 10 minutes of tacking we’ve had a 20-degree knock,” explained Abby Seagar. “For every step forward it feels like we take two steps back. It’s a monopoly game and we’re certainly due our ‘get out of jail free card’.”

Position Report, Day 31, 0400hrs GMT

1 AONE

2 ILBK (17 miles behind the leader)

00.3 25 OCT 01 7 3 NEWS (281 miles behind the leader)

4 TYCO (949 miles behind the leader)

5 AART (607 miles behind the leader)

6 TSEB (1039 miles behind the leader)

7 DJCE (1040 miles behind the leader)

8 ATOO (1103miles behind the leader)