"Christmas aboard was a day of fighting with Autopilots, leaking ballast tanks and broken battens trying to jump out of the mainsail. The wind has been at 42kts all last night and today, showing no signs of letting up. The mainsail is looking pretty sad with the top portion of it unsupported, not holding it’s shape at all and I cannot do anything about it until the wind drops off hopefully there will be less wind in about 12-16hrs further to the south."

Derek Hatfield (Algimouss-Spirit of Canada)
 

Over the past 24 hours, Jean Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2)currently in seventh place, 888.2 miles from the leader, sailed the greatest distance towards the finish.  Between 19h yesterday and this evening, he covered 387.2 miles.
 

Dee Caffari (Aviva), the first woman to sail non-stop around the world the wrong way alone has just overtaken Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar), who after repairing his ballast tanks has had to climb his mast to repair his lazy jacks. She therefore enters the Top Ten, while Sam Davies (Roxy)is now in eighth place
 

"Well, Father Christmas found Roxy last night and I am a very lucky girl! I had loads of presents to open this morning!(still on the Roxy Roller coaster!) And I am not sure I should tell anyone this, but now I am no longer alone! I have MEN on board! A "surfing Ken" (one of Barbie's ex's) and a "Grow your own male stripper"!! Leave that to your imagination!!! They must both be quite freezing, as Ken is in boardshorts and a T-shirt, and the stripper - well - it looks like he's already done his job (except the bow-tie!)
Christmas pants, santa sox, pens, make-up, beauty products, puzzles, games, even a salad growing kit.... I'm going to be busy for the next few weeks playing with all of that! I also had a great video with messages from everyone recorded on it - it made me smile!!"
Sam Davies (Roxy) in her daily message
 

"Major broach this morning under staysail and 3 reefs in the main. 50-knot squall and some violent gybes. . Some damage - broken lazy jack, a real mess inside. Sailing with three reefs in the mainsail but it's not stable. Trying to find a way to bring down the mainsail without smashing the coach roof and solar panels. Very high seas"
Raphael Dinelli (Fondation Ocean Vital)
 

"Father Christmas has not been kind. How on Earth can I open my presents heeled over at 25° with my "moped" jumping around like a kangaroo? This was not forecast. We'll manage somehow I suppose, but it's not nice. I should have remained on the other side of the International Date Line. I could have cheated by opening things, while the seas were still reasonable. Got to go now to take in a reef..."
Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) in his Christmas Day message