Intro:

Latest from the Vendee Globe on Sunday as Frenchman Francois Gabart continues to lead.

Script:

Francois Gabart continues to lead the way in the Vendee Globe race as he approaches the riseof the South Atlantic, but Armel Le Cleac'h in his Banque Populaire yacht is closing in.

The top two are travelling in calm waters with speeds of just 7-8 knots, allowing third-placed Jean-Pierre Dick to narrow the gap to 124 miles in the last 24 hours, as he benefits from better winds.

Fourth-placed Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) has also made a progress, gaining 43 miles in 24 hours.

Several boats remain in the Pacific where conditions remain tough with winds reaching 45 knots.

Britain's Mike Golding, in sixth place, leads of group of five boats trying to play catch-up.

Allesandro Di Benedetto of Team Plastique even found time to celebrate the new year with a bottle of champagne.