After an eventful year in the USA, Alain Thébault's L'Hydroptere team of is taking advantage of the winter to fine-tune their technological and sports program as they continue their search

18 days after the departure from New York, Maserati is sailing off the Patagonian coast and is getting closer to the legendary Cape Horn - currently 920 miles away at 1100 GMT).

The Vendee Globe leaders are this morning upwind on starboard tack into the northeasterly trades.

This morning, in an experiment, I enjoyed scrambled eggs on toast which was both good, and a nice break from my normal cereals.

The Brazilian state of Pernambuco will enter a team in the next Volvo Ocean Race and its capital city, Recife, will provide the first stopover along the route of the race.

Having scrapped off the world's most expensive paintjob, the former Puma VO70 has been rebranded in the colours of the women's team for the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race: Team SCA.

Maserati has passed the cold front, and is into upwind conditions. It was not very difficult, with gusts to 35 but only for a short period.

Maserati has passed the cold front, and is into upwind conditions. It was not very difficult, with gusts to 35 but only for a short period.

Banque Populaire, has been backing racing yachts since 1989 and has been a partner of the French Sailing Federation, the FFV, since 2000.

MACIF has made it out of the Doldrums overnight and Banque Populaire is currently just exiting it, having apparently made a better job of it than the race leader.