A Christmas cliffhanger, or simply the next episode of a long running drama? Well just a matter of hours ago it looked for all the world as if Bilou the pantomime villain was about to steal the lead as the group of four leading boats scale the New Zealand ice gate.

Michel Desjoyeaux, leader for nine days, had slowed to less than ten knots – did he have a problem, was he struggling in the rough upwind conditions?

The 2000-2001 Vendée winner has rallied and while it will be close between them it looks as if Roland Jourdain will be first to pass north of the gate, while Mich Desj has still a couple of hours more to push up to the east ‘mark’ of the gate. Both Foncia and Veolia Environnement at now making similar speeds again, sailing NNE.

And behind them, in mileage terms, it could be another swap for Jean Le Cam (VM Materiaux) and Seb Josse (BT) as they are just two miles apart in terms of DTF, and Seb – in the north - has the better course to the gate.

Jean-Pierre Dick is going well in seventh and has pulled back close to 90 miles since yesterday morning.

Dee Caffari may have passed Brian Thompson and enjoyed a little Christmas cheer on the VHF, but Thompson has put his foot down on the Bahrain Team Pindar and has wound the Juan K beast up to 16.9 knots, making 17.2 knots between the last two polls, the quickest in the fleet. Jagged by losing out to Dee or inspired by Her Majesty’s speech this afternoon, maybe big Brian’s comeback starts here!

Meantime of this who have abandoned recently, Mike Golding arrived in Fremantle early today, Loic Peyron is 790 miles from Fremantle, Dominique Wavre is about 450 miles from the Western Australian haven, and Bernard Stamm is aboard the Marion Dufresne heading for Reunion Island.