It must be good to be Mike Sanderson. Ok, yes he is down below 57S, where the spray at 20 knots must hit like hail. Yes, he has the burden of command and interupted sleeps. And yes this Shrove Tuesday he's missing out on Captain JP's famous pancakes.But yet again his Black Betty is in the lead, stretching away from Pirates in the drag race for Cape Horn. Even though the wind is (at least) no stronger than that for Paul Cayard the lead just keeps getting bigger. And he has in front of him not just more points ready to be picked, but the prospect of shore in leave in that wonderful city of Rio. And of course newly engaged to Emma Richards!
Behind him the news from the rest of the fleet of the Volvo Ocean race is mixed. Ericsson's reported a spectacular wipe out made even more exciting by the swing keel being the wrong side post a crash-gybe (not fun).
Just remember its not over by a long way - there are still 3000 miles to go to Rio, including rounding the Horn and the decision which side of the Falklands to go!
Graphic from Virtual Spectator
