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11:03 AM Thu 27 Nov 2008 GMT
In the Vendee Globe, little change at the front, as Lo?ck Peyron holds onto his lead for two weeks. Seb Josse (BT) fewer than 10 miles behind in second Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) posting the fastest boat speeds, steaming south on the most western track. Jonny Malbon (GBR) on Artemis overhauls Unai Baskuro (ESP) overnight Norbert Sedlacek latest to cross the Equator on Nauticsport-Kapsch this morning.
The countdown has begun. the leading skippers have about one more day of sailing before they have to negotiate the centre of the high pressure system which is currently around 300 miles south of the first boats. Today is a key moment in the race, where cool heads will be required. The ability to adapt and react will be key as the high, currently in front of their bows, gives way to another one moving towards St. Helena.
Overnight there's been little change at the front of the fleet, as the leaders all bide their time in preparation for the shake-up that seems inevitable over the next 24-hours. Second-placed Seb Josse has closed to within 10 miles of leader Lo?ck Peyron and moved slightly closer to Gitana 80's track.
While the leaders are steady at 12-14 knots, the boat clocking the fastest times is unquestionably Foncia. About 200 miles back from the leaders, Michel Desjoyeaux has been regularly hitting 16-17 knots and eating down the miles. Foncia passed to the west of the Isle of Trinidad last night, and is now further south than British skipper Sam Davies on Roxy, who has a line to the east of the islands.
Ahead of them Dominque Wavre (Temenos) has also pulled slightly further south of Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar, GBR), again by being on the western side.
Jonny Malbon (GBR) on Artemis has moved up to 18th position overnight, overhauling Unai Baskuro (ESP) in this morning's rankings.
The 23rd competitor to reach the southern hemisphere, Norbert Sedlacek, also crossed the Equator on Nauticsport-Kapsch early this morning.
Rich Wilson (Great American III) in his log yesterday evening.
'Yesterday the pounding of the boat was so bad that I re-injured the rib that I think is fractured. Over the two weeks since the start of the race the injury had slowly gotten better, although sometimes it seemed like there was a sharp knife in my back when I was grinding the pedestal winch to hoist the main sail from one reef to the next (360 revolutions!) The pain had eased until it felt like only a butter knife in my back instead of a sharp knife. Then yesterday, while resting on the chart table bench, we crashed off a wave and it felt as though everything that had healed in my back came undone. The rib felt broken and very painful again. I spoke with the doctor later in the day, and he, too, thinks that I cracked the healing rib again. Fortunately, he does not think it will take two weeks for the rib to get back to the healed state that it was in before yesterday. '
Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia).So this is Martin Vaz. Reminds me of home in Brittany, home sweet home. It has rained non-stop for almost three hours. Unfortunately, as we were upwind, we were also getting covered in salt water,or otherwise, I would have got a good wash. The seas are still just as confused, and it's starting to get a bit annoying. They could fit in with the wind but clearly, they can't agree. Not easy to get any rest, which I think I deserve after this battle. Going to have to put up with it. I could have booked a hotel here on Martin, but given the size of the island (3.4 miles across at its widest point), I don't know if there is one or if anyone lives here, maybe just a soldier being punished.
Sorry, I got it wrong. I don't know why but in my mind, Martin Vaz was to my west and Trindade to the east and as I was west of them both, I thought I was next to Martin, but no. So it's Trindade that is 3.4 miles across and Martin Vaaz includes three islands, the biggest of which is 0.39 miles across (about 800 metres) and is an amazing 175 metres high.'
0500 HRS GMT. Rankings,(FRA, unless stated)
1- Lo?ck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) 19847.5 miles to the finish
2- Seb Josse (BT) at + 9.8 miles to leader
3- Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) at + 37.1 miles to leader
4-Armel Le Cl?ac'h (Brit Air) at + 38.5 miles
5- Vincent Riou (PRB) at + 50.7 miles to leader
Selected International
8- Mike Golding, GBR, (ECOVER 3) at + 65.4 miles
11- Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) at + 239.6 miles
12- Dominique Wavre, SUI, (Temenos 2) at + 246.6 miles
13- Sam Davies, GBR, (ROXY) at + 300.2 miles
15- Dee Caffari, GBR, (AVIVA) at + 501 miles
17- Steve White, GBR, (Toe in the Water) at + 778.9 miles
18 - Johnny Malbon, GBR, (Artemis) at + 858.3 miles
18- Unai Basurko, ESP, (Pakea Bizkaia) at + 866.2 miles
20- Rich Wilson, USA, (Great America III) at + 949.4 miles
23- Bernard Stamm, SUI, (Chemin?es Poujoulat) at + 1058.7 miles
24- Norbert Sedlacek, AUT, (Nauticsport-Kapsch) at + 1311 miles
25- Derek Hatfield, CAN, (Algimouss Spirit of Canada) at + 1534.3 miles
by Vendee Globe media
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Cape Byron, NSW
