djuice on the loose

Going light seems to have paid off for Knut Frostad's team

Positions at 1209GMT

Pos	Name	Lat	Long	DTF	DTL	CMG	SMG
1	djuice	54 47.96N	010 48.76E	37	0	191	6.8
2	illbruck	54 51.44N	010 50.72E	40	3	191	4.9
3	Assa Abloy	54 55.16N	010 55.32E	45	8	181	6
4	Amer One	54 58.76N	010 54.52E	48	11	192	9
5	Amer Too	54 58.40N	010 55.92E	48	11	188	9.8
6	SEB	55 11.92N	010 58.56E	61	24	190	8.5
7	News Corp	55 17.40N	010 59.40E	66	29	192	6.9
8	Tyco	55 17.72N	010 59.88E	67	30	194	6.6

Cruising down through Denmark the Volvo Ocean Race has an unexpected leader in the form of the Knut Frostad's djuice. A resounding seventh for most of the Volvo Ocean Race, aside from the lottery finish into Rio that saw them pull off a second, the Norwegian team made the call to go light for this leg, a technique that seems to have paid off.

This morning they were passing Langeland, the Danish island just 40 miles from the finish line in Kiel and were just 0.3 nautical mile from the shore with about 10m of water under the boat. While the forecasts have shown 0-5 knot winds for today, the dragons have picked up a fresh easterly breeze of around 11 knots, accelerating the pink boat to 10 knots. In this stable reaching conditions with the long island of Langeland covering one side of the course, it should be straightforward for the dragons - led again on this leg by Team New Zealander Erle Williams - to hang on to their lead.

Illbruck is still holding second place and is on course for overall victory although ASSA ABLOY are five miles astern in third. Still they are fighting to take the lead from djuice and be first home in their team's home country.

With Tyco and News Corp down the pan Amer Sports One is looking quite comfortable for a third place overall finish in the Volvo Ocean Race, although this morning they recaptured fourth place from Lisa McDonald's team on Amer Sports Too. If the girls finish anywhere other than last it will be considered a coup.

This morning in the light breeze here in Kiel, the race committee shortened course by 9 miles, removing a triangle section of the course at its conclusion. Their ETA in Kiel is around 1600GMT. The yachts will now sail directly from Kiel Lighthouse to the finish line here at Bluecherbrucke in the centre of Kiel.