After a night of downwind gybing, the Volvo Ocean Race fleet have opened up and spread out with different offwind tactics.

Tyco and ASSA ABLOY, in first and second respectively, have kept a loose cover over the pursuing News Corp, illbruck and Amer Sports One. Distances to the leader (Tyco) are much the same although the spread from east to west of positioning for the next weather system is now a lot wider. Only time will tell which side will pay.

Overall speeds have continued to drop off to around 7-8 knots in the same amount of breeze. Should this pace continue, it will once again prompt fears of a longer than expected first leg to Cape Town and call for a rationing of food.

Race Leg One Positions – Day 9 – 0400 GMT

1 TYCO

2 AART

3 NEWS

4 ILBK

5 AONE

6 DJCE

7 ATOO

8 TSEB