Conrad Humphreys: Hoping to snatch seventh place

Humphreys, 31, has pulled back to eighth place, out of 13, in the single handed round-the-world race.

His yacht, Hellomoto, damaged a rudder when it hit an unidentified submerged object 300 miles (482km) off Cape Town.

He was forced to anchor for nearly two days while he replaced the rudder, falling to last in the pack.

Concertina effect

Humphreys, who has been having problems with Hellomoto's hydraulic keel, said: "I've got to take every opportunity while I can at the moment.

"It won't be until we get to the Doldrums when things could get problematic again, depending on how much ballast I need to shift and whether I need to move the keel a lot to keep the boat going, which is all a complicated process."

Humphreys, who has been at sea for more than 80 days, is hoping to overtake French sailor Joe Seeten before the finish off the coast of Brittany.

He said: "He'll slow first in the Doldrums so there will be a concertina effect but he will come out with the North East Trades first.

"I'm not following his track, it's better to stick to your own crossing point as even if he finds a way through the Doldrums, by the time I get there the wind will have changed for sure."