Vendee: Paprec-Virbac leads in Southern Ocean

11:42 AM Mon 8 Dec 2008 GMT

'Jean-Pierre Dick - Paprec-Virbac - ? Jean Marie Liot / DPPI / Vend?e Globe 2008' Vendee Globe 2008 &copy

Jean-Pierre Dick's route furthest south continues to pay a regular return for Paprec-Virbac who is now 43.7 miles ahead of Roland Jourdain (Veolia-Environnement) who gained overnight to lie second, his best position in this Vend?e Globe since the fleet leaders passed Cape Finisterre.

With his 2004 Lombard design, 'Bilou' Jourdain has again proven one of the quickest, hardest driving and smartest sailors in the south, and presently is at the head of a fast moving trio of like minded, hard bitten very experienced Southern Ocean diehards who are less than 10 miles apart. Hotly pursuing him, Jourdain has Lo?ck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) on his port quarter - just 4.8 miles to his NW - and Mike Golding (Ecover 3) on his starboard quarter - just 9.4 miles behind on the other side.

Roland Jourdain (Veolia-Environnement) ? Jean Marie Liot / DPPI / Vend?e Globe 2008 - Vendee Globe2008 &copy

Jourdain is pushing hard but will want to lay to rest the ghost of his 2004 race when he had to retire a week before Christmas with keel damage.

Seb Josse (BT) now lies third, having moved south from his northerly position losing 18 miles overnight, and is now some 130 miles north of Dick's course in the south, while Yann Eli?s is still 25 miles further north of Josse and lies seventh, relinquishing sixth overnight to Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia).

Desjoyeaux has again been quickest through the night, albeit only 0.2 of a knot quicker than Dick in the south who was polled fastest on the 1hourly 'speed gun' this morning.

The fortunes of those who are in pursuit take a bigger mileage hit as they struggle at times in much lighter winds. Dominique Wavre, SUI, (Temenos II) continues to do well at the front of the chasing pack, but he is a weather system behind and lost 80 miles since yesterday afternoon, Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) about 60 miles - although gaining 30 against Temenos - Sam Davies, GBR, (Roxy) something of the order of 40 miles, all losing as they sail through a ridge of high pressure with light winds - Wavre this morning making just two knots, and an overnight average of just eight.

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by Vendee Globe Media