Stressful times
By Ellen MacArthur BBC Sport Online

Ellen MacArthur updates her experiences in the Route du Rhum. Ellen is occupied with fighting off nearest rival Mike Golding and trying to decide the best way through the Azores high pressure system.

Things have been pretty stressful and worrying over the last 24 hours.

We're trying to get to the west of the high but the fastest way through is to go as close as you dare to the centre.

It's a bit of a gambling game at the moment as to who gybes when and who goes south when.

It's been stressful every time the position reports come through to see who exactly is going to be in front.

But I think we've made a good call and it definitely feels like we're on the sleigh-ride home now.

The beginning of the race is always going to be very different - upwind and slow.

Once you get through the high it should be very fast to Guadeloupe - real pedal to the metal stuff on one gybe.

But I guess its never that simple!

It's always a good feeling to be in front - it tells you you're doing the right thing.

But it's also a nervous time because you've got to try and make all the right calls - and you can't see what's happening to the boats in front of you anymore.

It's also quite stressful being in light airs.

But at least last night I got some sleep.

We were near the centre of the high and conditions were not that squally so I had a great night's sleep which I'm really pleased about - I was very tired and had slept little in the first half of race.

But I guess I'm stuck with this chess match for the next 24 hours as we both vie to get out of the high as fast as we can.