Leg 2 Day 35 : 34 59 S 179 23 E

There are two ways to look at the last 24-hour run. We can either free the inner child and stamp our feet whilst beating furiously on the floor with our fists in frustration or look on the positive side and celebrate our achievements thus far. There is plenty to justify the terrible-twos option. All's fair in love and war supposedly, but it was more than a little demoralising to sail into a big wind hole last night and park up, whilst Spirit of Sark slipped away from us once again. Spirits were high before yesterday's wind died; our hard work was paying off and our old adversaries were less than ten miles distant. Second place began to seem a distinct possibility. But one hour of steadily-dying wind gave way to another and the sea eventually took on the sickening slick of a windless mirror. A jagged but complete circle appeared crazily on the screen in front of us, depicting the lunatic track of the boat as we drifted backwards in zero wind. Our hopes became pinned on the possibility that Spirit of Sark had suffered a similar and, more importantly, slightly worse fate than us. The converse turned out to be true and this morning's scheds said it all - Spirit of Sark were pretty much back where they had been before our mammoth efforts to catch them began several days ago - nearly 20 miles ahead. We are still 249 miles away though. a random ace could yet fall into our hands. maybe. At the end of the day though, there is not much you can do about wind holes, and something of a celebration is probably more apt. There is much to be pretty pleased about. Our position is now 179 East and the salts amongst you will know that this must be making us feel pretty pleased with ourselves; just a few hours ago we crossed the meridian and are now, therefore, semi-circumnavigators! We have come half way around the world, are still all intact and in fine fettle, are all still firm friends and look likely to celebrate the distance with our first podium place - not bad going considering the random bunch that turned up at our first team-build back in February 2004! This, I think, is testament to a very determined group of people with an indomitable spirit and a common set of values which we took our time on setting down. At our current speed - a steaming 11 knots - we will arrive about this time tomorrow, and the New Year's drink is going to taste oh so sweet. Whatever the result we cannot help but feel very proud. and not a little relieved that this test of endurance is almost at an end. Naomi Cudmore