The top three boats on the fifth leg of the VOR, illbruck, Tyco and Assa Abloy, have now passed back into the Northern Hemisphere and will be preparing their crew ‘first timers’ to face the fines for such a crime, the penalties of which are about to be imposed by King Neptune. One of the equatorial first timers onboard Amer Sports One, Freddy Loof is fearing that his punishment is going to involve a mixture of porridge and a strawberry protein drink that the guys have aboard!

As the fleet heads back in to the Northern hemisphere and starts to get closer to completing its circumnavigation, it is noticeable that illbruck the current leaders, were also the first yacht over the equator heading south, some five months and 27,000 miles ago on the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race to Cape Town.

Recent thoughts on third placed Assa Abloy echo this. The crew of Assa Abloy who was one of the yachts in the front pack on the way south, have been contemplating what has been achieved as a team since that first leg, and also the experiences they have come up against – from the dolphins and whales spotted on Leg 1 to the iceberg-dodging and near knock downs on leg four, but most importantly how far they have come as a group of people, and how the team has grown in strength.

News Corp is still loosing ground having been hit by some fickle winds over the last few hours. This gave Amer Sports One the advantage they were waiting for, and they have managed to squeeze 10 miles ahead. Another yacht also making gains, though not on the leading pack, is Amer Sports Too, she has seized her opportunity and is currently lying three miles ahead of last-placed djuice. The racing is closer than ever as the whole fleet continues to head north.

Position Report, Day 9, 0358 GMT

1 ILBK

2 TYCO (3 miles from leader)

3 AART (4 miles from leader)

4 TSEB (41 miles from leader)

5 AONE (63 miles from leader)

6 NEWS (73 miles from leader)

7 ATOO (75 miles from leader)

8 DJCE (78 miles from leader)