Click here for Alex Thomson's exclusive videocast, part 5

Day 19

Time: 12:00 GMT

Latitude: 09 16.37’ S

Longitude: 31 49.02’ W

Position: Fourth

Average speed: 16.2 knots

Finally we have found the conditions in which Hugo Boss revels: 18+ knots of wind coming from 90 degrees to the side of the boat. The performance was most apparent when we were able to just sail past Delta Dore, with relative ease. Both yachts had the same sail configuration but we were able to sail about 1.5 knots quicker, that’s around 15 per cent faster. Capey spoke with French sailor Sidney Gavignet onboard Delta Dore earlier via the radio and all is good onboard their boat. He admitted that they are running at 100 per cent but we are just too fast in these conditions for them to keep up. In the lighter conditions Delta Dore is much closer to us in performance, so maybe they will catch up with us if the conditions change. To have a chance of winning this race we need to have a fast boat in all conditions and we have to hold the boat together as best we can. The longer we are out here, the more we are beginning to learn about how the boat likes to be set up in different conditions. It’s a steep learning curve, but, hey, we are really enjoying it!

Ahead, the leaders have better winds than us and will do for some time. We are just hoping that the high pressure in the south Atlantic will block their route to the Southern Ocean and allow us an opportunity to show our stuff. The pace is fast now, we are averaging 16 knots, however we have yet to fully utilise our water ballast, which will give us significantly more power and therefore more speed. Water is pouring over the boat but she is comfortable and nowhere near as wet as the last Hugo Boss. The conditions are not allowing us to get on with many jobs outside but today we plan to get the generator running and do a routine check on the steering gear.

Yesterday we hoisted our wind generator, which allows us to use the wind to charge our batteries rather than the engine. We had envisaged using it only as an emergency source of power, but every litre of fuel saved now will happily be used to run our heater in the freezing temperatures of the Southern Ocean.