Charging third placed Armel Le Cléac'h passes Cape Leeuwin and is catching Coville

Under Australia, the third placed skipper, Armel Le Cléac'h  on Maxi Banque Populaire XI, continues to erode miles from the lead of second placed Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) despite gruelling conditions.

Eight days ago there were nearly 1200 miles between then this morning only 340 miles now separate them, with Le Cléac'h  Armel passing Cape Leeuwin in the night. A duel is forming, "match within a match" whilst ARKÉA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest  leader Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild) remains quick and on a direct course in the Pacific.

On Sunday, Armel Le Cléac'h spoke of his conditions: "I have lots of wind, sea and there is not a  moment of respite and I still have a good week left with these conditions," he reported. And this Tuesday morning he is racing hard at the front of a front which is expanding in his southwest.

"This depression will allow him to stay on the port gybe and maintain an excellent course," explains Fred Lepeutrec, assistant race director. "Of course, it's complicated because he has to stay with the front, and not get caught up by the low pressure itself where the seas are bigger and confused."

"We see that he is extremely motivated"

But for now, the skipper of the Maxi Banque Populaire XI is holding on and pressing hard. He passed Cape Leeuwin last night, at 0106hrs, and above all, he closed the gap on Thomas Coville. There are now less than 340 miles between the two skippers.

"Armel is going fast averaging more than 30 knots over the last 24 hours. We can see he is extremely motivated and stimulated by catching up on Sodebo Ultim 3."

So as not to drop south into the worse sea conditions Le Cléac'h  is likely to change his course and move closer to Tasmania, 1,200 miles from its current position.

For Coville, on the other hand, nothing is easy. According to assistant race director Lepeutrec, "It is difficult to imagine that he is not handicapped by a technical problem. We notice that he is going slower, that the difference in speed is significant," he explains. " And he has remained very North, much more than Maxi Banque Populaire XI." For the moment the Sodebo team has not communicated on any possible technical problems.

Caudrelier, straight no chasers in the Pacific yet....

Up In front, Charles Caudrelier continues alone. "He's on a direct route, it's been a long time since he changed tack." Says Lepeutrec. The skipper of Maxi Edmond de Rothschild has to face slightly less wind  but will keep on his direct course but with more crosswind. "He will change move a little north, which also mirrors the ZEA."

Anthony Marchand in fourth has an anticyclone to deal with and tries to find a wind corridor between it and the ZEA. And in fifth now, Éric Péron continues to go the East. Two days after leaving Cape Town, the conditions are still light (less than 10 knots), which is reflected in his progress (15.4 knots average speeds over the last four hours).