BT Global Challenge - Leg 3 - 15th December

The next tactical decision was whether to stay inshore or go offshore - we opted for the latter. This is due to advice from our weather men and also because in the last race, the boat which stayed offshore was first to Cape Horn. We are currently going nicely with the genoa and full main. It is sunny on deck with a cold chill in the air - a taster for things to come.

The weather so far has been unpredictable to say the least - from ten knots to zero to 35 in the space of 30 minutes and all this with not a cloud in the sky to predict what might happen. The wind is expected to be light for the next 24 hours so trimming and where we distribute our body weight is all important. The Isle of Man reported a spinnaker halyard block breaking this morning, so I went up the rig straight away for a look round, no problems to report. But I am not looking forward to Southern Ocean rig checks - the movement is bad enough in a calm sea!

Cape Horn approaches and we have mixed feelings amongst the crew. We are all expecting strong winds, high seas and cold weather, but what will it really be like? We are making preparations. For example, we are padding out what we can on the foredeck with foam to prevent injury, checking the trysail over for ease of use and to make sure we can get it up quickly and safely.

Rounding Cape Horn means a lot to me. It is one of the main reasons why I am here. It represents an amazing achievement for a sailor to round Cape Horn, and it begins the journey into the Southern Ocean. I have read about the place and its relationship with sailors since I was a boy, and for me to be about to sail round it myself is to fulfil a dream started by the adventures of Chichester, Knox-Johnston and Blyth, not to mention following the numerous Whitbread races around the world.

Those things are my inspiration for being here. It all started in Southampton in September, but this leg of the race is what it is all about for me - and I am privileged to be here and be part of the adventure."

As of the afternoon of the 15th December, LG FLATRON was up to third place, with the fleet streaming down the coast of Argentina, paralleling each other across a broad range of ocean. The choice between inshore and offshore is about avoiding the foul current running up from Cape Horn and which is usually stronger around the 200 metre depth contour, while playing the weather to the best effect. After five days sailing, Norwich Union on the inshore track has the edge.

At 13.44 GMT on Friday 15th December, the BT Global Challenge website reported the positions and distances to the finish of the top six as:

1 Norwich Union 5056 nm
2 Compaq 5071 nm
3 LG FLATRON 5080
4 Spirit of Hong Kong 5086 nm
5 Isle of Man 5089 nm
6 Quadstone 5090 nm