The twosome look set to have just light to moderate E’ly and NE’lies for a while as they parallel the Brasil coast. Jourdain looks to be reaching in winds of around 10-15 knots and has been  nearly two knots faster, but still has a deficit of 319 miles to try and make up on Desjoyeaux.

What if?

That may a thought occupying the mind of Armel Le Cléac'h's, after his profitable progress over the past 24 hours. 

In the 0400hrs rankings yesterday, the Brit Air skipper was still 791.7 miles from the leader, but this morning the gap has narrowed to 688.7 miles, a gain of more than 100 miles over the two frontrunners. It The weather conditions have been more favourable for him, but it would be surprising if Le Cléac’h, with his competitive spirit, is not thinking that there could just be a way between now and the finish in les Sables d'Olonne.  Between the gains of Le Cléac’h on the water and off – his 11 hours of redress was confirmed last night – and Jourdain’s recent speeds, the only certainty about the podium positions is that Vincent Riou (PRB) is credited with a share of third. 

Le Cléac’h has had a little wind hole to deal with, indented into the low pressure he has been sailing across, but he has picked up speed again.

Is it time to take risks or engage in tactical ploys to go on the attack or try to catch up? Or is preservation the watchword, where it is wiser to make do with a very honourable place, especially when we see what has happened so far in this race? It would be too much to expect to learn from Michel Desjoyeaux about his strategy plans, as he is the mindgames master of, offering just the right amount of information to unsettle his rivals.

They may be left constructing various hurdles ahead of Foncia in their minds: unfavourable weather conditions, the leader easing off just to match the pace of those chasing after him, and maybe even a technical problem requiring a pit stop?  And one look at the 50 knots Atlantic low pressure system Thomas Coville is about to tussle with as he fights to the finish of his solo record attempt, is a stark reminder that the North Atlantic in January has teeth every bit as sharp as the Atlantic and the Pacific, and that is not even considering the attrition rate in the first 48 hours of this race.  

Only Desjoyeaux knows his tactics and his two closest rivals have no other choice but to do their best without letting all this play on their mind. 

Sam Davies in fourth place has been making stately progress on Roxy and reported that she was buzzed by a playful fighter jet as she passed the Falklands Islands. Her ascent of the South Atlantic now looks a sticky one as a high pressure zone, more than 750 miles across, is in front of her.  Marc Guillemot, 325 miles in her wake, suffered the same fate as Davies, in the virtually the same spot, slowing to a crawl in the transition zone on the corner of the Atlantic and the Pacific.

Five hundred miles still to go to Cape Horn in stormy, gusty winds Brian Thompson reported that he had set up Bahrain Team Pindar well for the blow setting a storm jib and deep reefed main for the 60-70 knots gusts.  He has spoken several times to his compatriot Dee Caffari (Aviva) in the teeth of the gale, each offering mutual support and advice. Thompson has taken as much easting as possible to try and allow the worst of the gale to slide down to his west, and Caffari has followed suit.

Steve White is on typically robust form on Toe in the Water, 70 miles to the final gate, he has rebuilt the motor for his back up pilot, and so now has a full suite of autopilots as back up. Reaching in 20-30 knots of breeze with a three metres swell, White reported last night that he know no feeling in the world better than his boat hitting a sweet spot for minutes at a time, surfing steadily across the long Pacific swell. 

Rich Wilson has been making slow progress as he crosses a protracted ridge of high pressure, while Norbert Sedlacek, in contrast, is tacking upwind into very strong easterly winds in conditions he calls ‘stressy’.