Intro:

Latest news from the Vendee Globe round-the-world single-handed yacht race on Saturday (January 12th).

Script:

Francois Gabart (Macif) was breaking away on Saturday, and the gap between him and Armel Le Cleac'h (Banque Populaire) was growing, as well as the distances from Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) and Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac Paprec 3), who were also losing ground on the leader.

There was good news for fifth-placed Jean Le Cam (SynerCiel) and Mike Golding (Gamesa) in sixth who have made up some miles on Gabart.

However, they are about to sail on the nose into a high-pressure system which will slow them down.

Further south, Javier Sanso (Acciona 100% EcoPowered) and Arnaud Bossieres (Akena Verandas) were stuck to each other like glue as they both attacked Dominique Wavre (Mirabaud) for seventh place.

They were making good speeds in a westerly wind of 20 knots.

Meanwhile in the Pacific, the final trio trundled towards Cape Horn.

Bertrand De Broc (Votre Nom Autour du Monde avec EDM) is now 790 miles (1,271 kilometres) from the mythical rock and sailing in a north-westerly wind.

Tanguy de Lamotte (Initiatives Coeur) was 263 miles (423 kilometres) behind.

At 82 miles (132 kilometres) from the last mandatory gate of the Pacific, Alessandro Di Benedetto (Team Plastique) was sailing out of a depression and making good progress covering around 300 miles (483 kilometres).