Alex was bleeding away miles yesterday, and earlier this morning, his lead over Ruyant was down to less than three miles. But he has opened up a little since and his speed showed 22 knots an hour ago. The next 24 hours should give favourable winds, but there is an awkward low pressure system coming off the South American coast which will be in the path of the fleet by tonight which reduces options. The weather systems ahead look a bit chaotic to the next couple of days but there looks like a small corridor of opportunity to get through to the south developing on Saturday but predictions are unreliable with high and low pressure zones mixing up.
Half the fleet are across the Equator with Sam Davis holding on to 9th place. The last placed in the group are now 1800 miles astern of the leader, and Jérémie Beyou in Charal, one of the favourites, who had to turn back, make repairs and start again, is some 3,000 miles astern.