Volvo Ocean Race – Now the race to Auckland is truly on

Team Alvimedica - The sun goes down as Alvimedica resumes sailing in a new breeze,wind everyone hopes will last the night - Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 Amory Ross / Team Alvimedica

Positions at 24 February 0640 UTC - Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 © Volvo Ocean Race http://www.volvooceanrace.com

Led by Team Alvimedica, the chasing pack is 40nm behind them. Team Brunel is 10nm behind the Turkish-American crew and Team SCA 20nm behind the Dutch one.

Team Alvimedica - Ryan Houston looks at cloudy conditions ahead on the way south to his home in New Zealand - Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 © Amory Ross / Team Alvimedica

MAPFRE - Everyone sits on the bow when there is no wind - Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 © Francisco Vignale/Mapfre/Volvo Ocean Race

'On the menu we had no wind, big swell, stopping waves right on the nose and an adverse current,' adds Charles.

'AND at the end of the night, enormous thunderstorm clouds with wind coming from all over the place. We came out of this night behind our two chasing competitors. Unfortunately the final cloud was fatal for us.

'But Abu Dhabi is just in front of us now, and we have four days to overtake them. Once again we are back in a drag and speed race.'

On the Emirati boat, Onboard Reporter Matt Knighton reports that they’ve got 'a narrow, 2nm lead on Dongfeng who’s directly on our transom.

Dongfeng Race Team - Jin Hao Chen 'Horace' will wear these lucky red socks - Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 © Sam Greenfield/Dongfeng Race Team/Volvo Ocean Race

'The two of us have split from MAPFRE who is looking to go further east and we don’t know why. We’re wondering if they’re going to try and use their height later to open up and make gains but for now we’re in a drag race south at the fastest angle possible.'

MAPFRE - Going through big heavy clouds - Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 © Francisco Vignale/Mapfre/Volvo Ocean Race

In the last 12 hours the Spaniards have indeed decided to move east away from Abu Dhabi and Dongfeng. They are now 20nm to their east. It will be interesting to see what navigator Jean-Luc Nélias has seen in the east.

Dongfeng Race Team - Waiting for our breakaway east wind to take us to Auckland - Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 © Sam Greenfield/Dongfeng Race Team/Volvo Ocean Race

Back in fifth position, Team Brunel has had a painful 12 hours. They lost at least 30nm to the leaders as they were caught in a wind hole.

The teams can now wave goodbye to the transition area they have been sailing in for the past two days. The new wind is coming from the east, ad it’s a stable breeze of 12 to 13 knots.

Drag race is the new key word.

Position report list

Team SCA - Passing some of the many rocks and islands in the South Pacific - Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 © Anna-Lena Elled/Team SCA

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - Ian Walker moves the stack forward as winds drop - Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 © Matt Knighton/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing

Team Brunel - Jens Dolmer - Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 © Stefan Coppers/Team Brunel