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5:05 PM Tue 21 Apr 2009 GMT
While the rich get poorer at the front of the fleet as the pace slows and the concertina effect takes hold, in the cheap seats there are profits to be had - and on Green Dragon, they are all powered up.
Braced against the constant fire hosing, helmsman Anthony Merrington, describes it as just another day on watch. It looks anything but. 'Conditions are pretty good. It's a bit damp, but it's warm, we are going fast, we're on course and we're making some small inroads into our competitors.' Bowman Justin Slattery agrees... 'This is what it's supposed to be like... none of that drifting around the world,' he adds.
Skipper Ian Walker's men have their race faces on. Today's main picture is a shining example of that. Walker's email this morning provides further evidence that there is still fire in the belly of the Dragon despite the arrears to their nearest rival of 30 miles and triple that to the leader - Telefonica Blue.
'We cannot complain about any lack of fast angle sailing towards the mark on this leg,' he wrote. 'The trade winds are enabling us to average well over 400 miles a day in the right direction.
'Right now it is all about horsepower and maintaining a high level of trim and steering. Sadly, we are still bringing up the rear of the fleet and we desperately need something to change in the weather to give us some opportunities.
'There does look like change ahead as we need to first cross the remnants of a high pressure ridge and then cross the cold front to head towards Newport. I just hope we are close enough to capitalise on any mistakes made by those ahead.'
Meanwhile, on Telefonica Blue, there is still no remedy in sight from the throbbing headache of the past few days in which Bouwe Bekking's men have seen their lead cut from 108 miles to just over 30.
The paracetamol is expected to arrive this evening when the rate of gain by the pursuing pack begins to ease as further compression arrives. Just what the doctor ordered, says Bekking.
He freely admits that the hurt was expected as the Blue boat was first to encounter the ridge of high pressure around the Azores. They have just had to take it on the chin - and on the leaderboard.
'We have been on the receiving end now for roughly 36 hours, losing mile after mile, which is part of the game,' he said.
'I don't think it will stop for at least another 20 hours, as then finally the others will hit the wall as well. I have seen this happening several times in previous round the world races and also in this race it happened a few times, so we are fully preparing ourselves for a re-start.
'This leg can become another very close one. Of course we want to win, but can see as well that it serves our sport and the Volvo Ocean Race big time if we have this close racing going on. We might still be in the driving seat, but having the others closer brings that extra adrenaline pumping through your veins, as the racing gets even more exciting.'
Helmsman Simon Fisher hinted that an end to the losses was in sight. 'The good news is that the wind is filling in again, we are seeing our boat speeds improving so we are almost certainly through the worst of it now,' he said.
'Having a pack of boats quite literally breathing down your neck does wonders for the motivation on board.'
By the 16:00 GMT Position Report, Telefonica Blue, on the same latitude as the Caribbean Island of St Martin, led Ericsson 4 by 32 miles. The sistership, Ericsson 3 (+33), and PUMA (+41) were locked together in the second group.
On Delta Lloyd (+61), in the thick of a street brawl with Telefonica Black (+60), they are covering all the angles, according to Nick Bice.
'The performance of the boat in the last 24 hours has been good. We've been in the top one or two on the skeds (Position Reports),' he said. 'We reckon we have found an angle that the boat really likes and hopefully we can find a passing lane once we come to the ridge and the fleet compresses again,' he said.
Bice's maths and geometry are in sync with the numbers in the Data Centre which shows Delta Lloyd with the highest 24-hour run today of 393 nautical miles. She has also averaged the highest speed over the last three hours, of about 16.5 knots, while Telefonica Blue is averaging 14.8.
As for the crew of Ericsson 4, they appear to have unfinished business on this leg with all around them, including Telefonica Blue, according to Dave Endean. 'We had a good run last night and are certainly keeping it exciting for ourselves onboard with the battle between Ericsson 3, PUMA and us continuing,' he said.
'The next few days will probably drag on a little but wind is due and there is a chance of a bumpy ride in to Boston. This will make the arrival even better, especially if we can drag Tele Blue into the fight and come out on top.'
Delta Lloyd claims the highest 24-hour run today, of 393 nm. She has also averaged the highest speed over the last three hours, swishing along at approximately 16.5 knots, while Telef?nica Blue is only averaging 14.8. Thirty miles astern, Ericsson 4 has also slowed, while just four miles further back, Ericsson 3 and the rest of the fleet still has good breeze.
Volvo Ocean Race Positions - Leg Six Tuesday, Day 11: 1600 GMT Volvo Ocean Race Positions
1. Telef?nica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED) DTF 1,6367 nm
2. Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) +32 nm
3. Ericsson 3 SWE (Magnus Olsson/SWE) +33 nm
4. PUMA Racing Team USA (Ken Read/USA) +41 nm
5. Telef?nica Black ESP (Fernando Ech?varri/ESP) +60 nm
6. Delta Lloyd IRL (Roberto Berm?dez/ESP) +61 nm
7. Green Dragon IRL/CHN (Ian Walker/GBR) +93 nm
8. Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) DNS
by Cameron Kelleher
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Mount Wellington, TAS
