Getting out of jail

The leading trio in the Volvo Ocean Race are now into the Trades and making hay

Positions at 1000GMT 18 March

PS	Yacht	Latitude	Longitude	DTF	DTL	DTL-C	SMG	CMG
1	Illbruck	04 37.20N	044 03.72W	2460	0	0	14.3	303
2	Assa Abloy	04 40.08N	043 56.72W	2463	3	2	14.4	303
3	Tyco	04 36.24N	043 53.96W	2468	8	3	13.7	307
4	SEB	03 04.36N	044 07.60W	2516	56	18	11.4	321
5	Amer Too	03 07.36N	043 14.84W	2554	94	17	11.7	321
6	Amer One	03 27.08N	042 42.44W	2567	107	9	12.8	315
7	News Corp	03 38.20N	042 11.24W	2584	124	13	12.2	314
8	Djuice	02 23.68N	042 40.44W	2609	149	23	10.5	311

Yesterday it looked as if illbruck was repeating the move she pulled on the last leg, when she had a narrow lead over her rivals and then simply consolidated and extended. But at the front of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet, Tyco and Assa Abloy appear to be having none of it and have reeled her back in. The three way match race north west to Miami continues.

The front runners are now out of the Doldrums and into the more regular north easterly Trades and it will become a boat speed speed contest for the next few days until the boats reach the turning mark at Barbuda (going inside the Caribbean chain is not allowed this time). Overall in the fleet the result is that the lead trio have pulled out miles on those still tackling the Doldrums.

Tactically a more interesting contest is taking place behind the leading trio. This morning there was a 120 mile span across the race track with News Corp to the north east and SEB to the south west. The latter option seems to have paid dividends at this stage, but Ross Field is confident that his tactics will win in the long run and will enable News Corp to bear down on top of the boats to the south west once they're into the Trades.

The girls on Amer Sports Too seem to have made a fine tactical call on how to tackle the Doldrums by also going to the south west and have this morning further extended their lead over their team mates on Amer Sports One who have pulled up to sixth place.