Djuice Dragon crossed the finish line at 19:00:53 GMT this evening, six days after the leading boat Illbruck.

Knut Frostad, skipper of the Norwegian yacht, and his 11-strong multi-national crew seemed relieved as they finally passed the finish line off the Cape Town harbour entrance. However, as soon as they had tied up, the crew – who are part of a medical research programme – had to put on the fresh underwear they’d been handed before being allowed to tuck in to their burgers and beer.

Once ashore, Frostad expressed his feelings about the race so far: “It was not only the worst leg, it was the worst race I have ever done, awful, horrible. I have never fought so hard for so little.”

With very little time before the 11 November restart, the team will be working flat out in order to prepare the boat for the next big leg which take in the Southern Ocean to Sydney.

The all-girls team aboard Amer Sports Too are less than six hours away and are expected to cross the finish line during the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Postions at 2000 hrs, 30 October

illbruck: 31d 06h 19m 49s

Amer Sports One: 31d 08h 20m 56s

News Corp: 32d 15h 57m 17s

Tyco: 33d 16h 37m 49s

ASSA ABLOY: 034d 18h 11m 59s

SEB: 36d 19h 35m 47s

Djuice: 37d 05h 00m 53s

Amer Sports Too expected 01:48 on 31 October