Southbound

The long awaited header has kicked in. Bonduelle, PRB, VMI and Sill et V’olia must now be feeling the effects on their sails as the sheets are increasingly eased.

The wind is progressively turning to the east then the north-east.

Jean LE CAM (FRA) has clearly rounded up and is now dropping south at a rate of knots down a wind tunnel created by a depression centred off Argentina and the inflating of the Saint Helena high. Behind them the race is on to “cut the corner” so as to gain on the leader. The top five, completed by Roland JOURDAIN and Mike GOLDING did well to escape the doldrums while they did while some of those further back have been having a dog of a 24 hours in horrendous squalls, Conrad HUMPHREYS and Nick MOLONEY seemingly taking the brunt.