It is a day of reckoning for Jeremie Beyou on Delta Dore today. The solo skipper arrived in Recife – on the Brazilian coast – early this morning. Now he will be able to determine whether the damage to his rig is repairable, or whether his Vendée Globe is set to end in South America. The yacht has suffered damage to two spreaders on the starboard side.

For the fleet leaders, it is more of the same on the direct route south, with small gains and losses to be fought for. Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) has once again extended his lead overnight ? after second-placed Seb Josse crept to 10.1 miles of the leader. Peyron pushed overnight to rebuild his lead to over 15 miles.

After yesterday’s reshuffle, the previous order has also been restored, with Jean Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) reclaiming third and Mike Golding (Ecover) moving back up to sixth. Ecover was one of the fastest boats on the course overnight, covering more than 110 miles to overtake Yann Elies, who had crept into sixth yesterday evening.

The boat showing the greatest VMG is currently still Marc Guillemot on Safran, who has extended his lead over Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) to 40 miles overnight. Sailing for speed, Safran is currently on the most westerly heading of any boat on the track, while – 30 miles to the west – Thompson is heading higher by 20 degrees.

Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environment) has also overhauled Jean Le Cam (VM Materiaux), the most easterly boat of the leading group. Swiss skipper Bernard Stamm, (Cheminées Poujoulat) crossed the Equator early yesterday evening, with Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport-Kapsch) due to be next into the South.