As the big guns in the SAP Cape to Rio yacht race falter in the testing conditions on the South Atlantic, the smaller 42-footers have moved up the leaderboard to occupy four of the top five handicap positions.
The oldest competitor in the race, 77-year-old Gawie Fagan, continued to defy the odds aboard the nine-metre Suidoos 2 - the smallest yacht in the field - to recapture pole position.
Fagan is nearing the halfway point in the 3 400-mile race and has only 1 860 miles to go to Rio de Janeiro.
Investec and Baleka, both 42-footers, are in second and third position on the handicap ratings, having covered 149 and 155 miles respectively in 24 hours.
Morning Glory, the pre-race favourite, has slipped down to fourth place on handicap and is being tailed by John Martin's MTU Fascination of Power.
Race organisers reported that the lighter wind conditions, brought about by a huge high-pressure system in the South Atlantic, were suiting the 42-footers far better than the larger yachts.
After two frustratingly slow days, Klabbe Nylöf on board the trimaran Nicator reported that they had finally found some wind on Thursday morning and predicted a good run during the next 24 hours.
- For daily updates and progress charts, visit the official website on www.capetorio.org.