Photo: 5,000 miles behind the leader, Norbert Sedlacek AUT, (Nauticsport Kapsch)

Racing with the benefit of better weather conditions, Vendee Globe leaders Michel Desjoyeuax and Roland Jourdain are driving a bigger wedge between themselves and trio of boats in pursuit. Jean Le Cam in third saw his deficit rise by more than 50 miles overnight, while Vincent Riou and Armel Le Cléac’h lost more than 100 miles. Desjoyeaux has some 2,200 miles to sail to Cape Horn

Sam Davies, GBR, is top international skipper, now in seventh place. Davies reported last night that an impact had kicked up one of her rudders on Roxy.

Brian Thompson, (Bahrain Team Pindar), Arnaud Boissières (Akena Verandas) and Dee Caffari (Aviva) all crossed back into the western hemisphere last night, whilst Steve White, GBR, (Toe in the Water) is relishing some more settled weather conditions, preparing to his two big jobs on board – stabilizing his broken gooseneck, and re-securing his generator. Steve is also finding time to learn French.
 
Jonny Malbon, GBR, (Artemis II) and Rich Wilson, USA, (Great American III) may have felt they were due the respite they expected, but they have been forced to work extremely hard with very inconsistent winds, rapidly changing between 20 and 45 knots.

Jonny Malbon sounded upbeat and delighted to have ridden out the recent storms on Artemis II, now looking to get back to sailing the Simon Rogers design at speed, rather than simply surviving the weather.

Some 5,000 miles behind the leader, Norbert Sedlacek AUT, (Nauticsport Kapsch) and Raphaël Dinelli (Fondation Océan Vital) are about to cross the longitude of Cape Leeuwin, exactly two weeks after Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia).

0400 HRS GMT. Rankings, (FRA, unless stated)
1. Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) at 9397.4 miles 
2. Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) at 73.6 miles     
3. Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) at 337.7 miles  
4. Vincent Riou (PRB) at 641.1 miles      
5. Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) at 687.7 miles      
      
Selected International
7. Sam Davies, GBR, (ROXY) at 1,617.2 miles  
  9. Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) at  2,266.7 miles  
10. Dee Caffari, GBR, (AVIVA) at 2,349   
12. Steve White, GBR, (Toe in the Water) at 2994.3 miles     
13. Johnny Malbon, GBR, (Artemis) at 3,866.9 miles     
14. Rich Wilson, USA, (Great American III) at 3,952.9 miles
15. Norbert Sedlacek, AUT, (Nauticsport.Kapsch) 4,912 miles