Leg 2 Day 26 51 15S 144 28W:

It's Christmas Eve and below it is quiet but for the rumble of the watermaker and the purr of the generator. The off watch lay cosy in their bunks dreaming, perhaps as children, of Christmas mornings past. Bags of fruit, the fevered tearing of paper to reveal eagerly awaited toys and the comfort of being surrounded by the people they love. Above, the wind howls around the hoods of the huddled at the rail as water cascades around their feet. They think about the next hour, or is it two, until the end of their watch and sleep. The Southern Ocean has no public holidays and neither does this race but as Christmasses go this one will be special in so many ways. We will be sharing it with new friends in the crew and one of the World's most demanding environments. In our hearts we will be sharing it with the ones we love at home. To Mum, Stephen, Emily, Oliver and Isabelle, to Alison and my dearest friends whom I love and miss so so much, to all the school children in Royston who have been following my progress and the others who have supported me and the team including Claire, Ruth and the people at BP and Cathy and the staff at UK - I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year, Love John Bass x Holger Bindel :- Ich wuensche allen ein Frohes Weihnachtsfest und ein gesundes Neues Jahr. Ein besonders schoenes Fest wuensche ich meiner Familie und meinem Patenkind Noah und seine Familie. Laura Alexander :- Merry Christmas to my family in the UK, Australia and Canada from the Southern Ocean. PS Mum can you save me some of your Xmas pudding please. Love Laura xxx Colin Barber :- Wishing my wife Hazel, Family and Friends in Inverness, Torphins, Milngavie, Strathblane and St Cyrus a fantastic time this Christmas. Looking forward to seeing you all in the New Year. All my Love from the "bottom of the World". Colin xx Stephen Allberry :- Happy Christmas to all friends in Hampshire, Hackney and Sussex. I wish you were here! Goldie Raley :- To my family and friends. Seasons Greetings from the Southern Ocean! Have a Merry Christmas and a VERY Happy 2005. LOADS of love to you all - especially those 'rascals' on the farm. Golds x x x x Rob Phillips:- To Iris, my family and my friends I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Oliver Browett :- To all of my family and friends who have been following my progress; hope you all enjoy a merry Christmas and a happy new year. I will miss the usual festive season celebrations but I'm sure Christmas at the bottom of the world is one to remember. And not forgetting - David Melville Beautiful girl and little boy, I love you. Family and friends all my best times are with you, lots of love to you all. Hello to this year's new borns what a difference you make! All the crew

Leg 2 Day 26 : 51 43S 139 16W

We hope that readers will not mind us devoting most of today's log to personal messages from our watch to those back home. Currently battling through yet another F8-9, we still lie in second place, but with very little distance between ourselves and VAIO and BG SPIRIT. Second is hardly something which we can take for granted; every mile gained is hard won, every mile lost a bitter pill to take. Incredibly, after over 4,000 miles of racing, the first nine yachts are within 45 miles of each other - the competition is stiffer than a treble shot of neat Gordons! And yet loved ones are at the forefront of our minds as Christmas fast approaches. This one is for them. [AS] Happy Christmas to everyone at home, especially Sarah, Rachel & Peter and all the Smith clan staying in Lytham. Looking forward to seeing you in New Zealand soon. Lots of love from Andrew XXX. [CT] Alla mia famiglia: buon natale e vi voglio bene, I love you s.c.l.w. this is the last Christmas without you! See you in kiwiland. FF and Flash: keep a cold one ready for next month . Vabene people I send you all my love! [RW] Happy Christmas to Mum, Dad, Julie, Sarah, Andy, Sue, Phoebe, Cameron, Chris, Art, Des, plus everyone in the Thatched in Epping and a tickle for Harry. A special thankyou and Happy Christmas to my brother Graham without who's help and support I wouldn't be here. A big wave to you all from the other side of the world, probably cold and wet but happy. This is truly rock and roll. [NC] Haaaappy Christmas! to M&N, W&M&M(woof) and T&J at LNQ (Heaven) and Jilly&Hannah up the hill I MISS YOU ALL! Festive love&hugs&pinksparklythings to Jo, James, Helen, Neet, Sarah, Dylan, both Carols, Liz, Jon, Dunstan, Paul, Barbara & family, Sandy, Rich, Sarah, Lauren, Elly, Wills R & B, Dot, Kal, Devon Ben, Foxy, Georgie, Andy, Lucy, Oliver, The Nettlecombe Clan, Angela, Mark, Keith, Bernie, Glen, Pat, Angie, Charlie, Beth, Ellen, Jasmine (and my cosy fireplace), all the Hampshire crew, Ed, Sam, D&S, John, Teresa, Roger, Maureen, Duncs & Lesley, Neil, Halsgrove and everyone at The Notley Arms and any other West Somerseters left off the list! Lots and lots of love from Naomi xxxxx [GM] Happy Christmas to all my family and friends. Thanks for all your support and good wishes. I wish you a cosy, warm Christmas by the fire and an appetising Southern Ocean yuletide log (much better than the Queen's speech!). I will look forward to some mulled wine and mistletoe in NZ! love G. [JS] Warm wishes to all my friends who have been a source of inspiration and support over the last few years. Thanks to the Tullamore crew for listening to all the sailing talk. Have a great Xmas to you all. Special greetings to all my co-workers at Applied Materials, my family in Dublin and friends around the world. Sweetie I miss you dearly and hope that this will be the last xmas apart, lots of love John [DP] Happy Christmas to Mum, Dad, Till, Liz, Jon, Lisa, Bev, Sarah, Laura, Marylin, Dodge, Sue, Andy & Bev and everyone at the SSSC... Cop [JC] Merry Christmas to the best mum in the world, to my fab big sister and the McKerracher clan and to Lynda, a better pal I couldn't ask for. Have a great Christmas everyone at Scottish Enterprise, Tighnabruaich Primary School and all of the other friends that have supported me in my 'Challenge' Miss you all heaps. [MM] Major would like to wish a very happy and peaceful Christmas and a wonderful new year to his family including his children Rochelle, Melissa, Cass and Carlene also Jimi, Cherry and Ben. His mum and his brothers and sisters Joe, Graham, Surinder, Kalinder and Nini. All the nephews and nieces including Michael, David Lee and Levina. All friends including Bob, Vicky and family, John and Karen, Steve and Pam, Clare and Graham, Ken and Sue, and Bal who all came to see him off at Portsmouth. Also best wishes to Sudir who came to see him off at BA. Mick and Mary, to all the regulars at the Seven Bar in Shifnal and everybody at the Bell in Harborne, plus everyone who knows me. The Crew

The Core Crew

Laura Alexander - Core crew
Laura is 30 years old and a Senior Account Manager from West Sussex, UK Laura's partner is also competing in the 2004/5 Global Challenge race.

Stephen Allberry - Core crew
Stephen is 54 years old and a Librarian from West Sussex, UK. Stephen signed up for the race with a legacy from his aunt, who was a Sea Ranger skipper in Lymington, UK. Stephen was one of the core crew, that won the Round Britain and Ireland 2004 Race.

John Bass - Core crew
John is 36 an Internet Consultant from Essex, UK. John's initial plan to retire and live on a yacht somewhere took a more adventurous turn when he came across the Challenge Business website while looking for training courses. "I got confirmation of my crew place standing outside Sydney Opera House just before midnight New Years Eve 2003" "It felt like the fireworks were just for me, I couldn’t have been more thrilled if they had"

Holger Bindel - Core crew
34 year-old Holger was born in Germany but moved to UK where he's been working as a GP since February 1997. Holger's family are still in Germany and divided in their attitude towards the adventure. His father is quietly proud while his mother is a little scared. All of his friends are half jealous and half think he is crazy for taking on such an adventure.

Oliver Browett - Core crew
Olly is 23 years old, the youngest of the BP Ocean Racing team. He grew up in Darlington and Sheffield but read Chemistry at Bristol University and also in Germany. He then studied for an MA in Biotechnological Law and Ethics at Sheffield University. Before signing up for the race he had never been on a yacht. Olly was one of the core crew that won the Round Britain and Ireland 2004 Race.

Jane Cook - Core crew
Jane is 46 years old and a Project Manager from Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK Jane is the only Scot in the core crew. She has also challenged herself to learn to play the bagpipes in the nine months prior to the race.

Naomi Cudmore - Core crew
Naomi is 29 years old and lives in a cottage in Somerset which she is renovating, although this has gone on hold of late, since she started raising money to go on the Global Challenge yacht race!

Major Malhi - Core crew
Major is 52 years old and the only Indian to be taking part in the race. He was born in India and came to the UK in 1960. He went on to set up his own forklift truck business which became highly successful and he sold this in 1990 and semi retired. Major spends much of his time in Spain and India but when he is in the UK he spends time between Birmingham and Telford visiting his mother and his children, Rochelle 32, Melissa 28, Kass 24 and Carla 21.

Robin Phillips - Core crew
Robin is 50 years old and a Retained Leading Firefighter from Cheshire, UK. Robin raised over £1,200 for the race charity, Save the Children, in a 48-hour rowing event in Crewe Town Square in the UK.

David Pugh - Core crew
David is 43 years old. A Builder from Wolverhampton, UK one of David's hobbies is sailing dinghies - mainly on lakes. David decided to participate in the 2004/5 Global Challenge after watching and supporting his wife when she participated onboard the winning yacht of the 2000/1 event. David "Cop" was one of the core crew that won the Round Britain and Ireland 2004 Race.

Goldie Raley - Core crew
Goldie is 34 years old and a geography teacher at Pocklington School in East Yorkshire, so you can call her ‘Miss’. Goldie grew up on a farm in North Yorkshire and she considers this to be the main reason for her lifelong pursuit for adventure.

Andrew Smith - Core crew
Andrew is 40 years old and a Engineering Project Manager from Lancashire, UK. Andrew loves gourmet cooking and fine wines, which he says he'll dearly miss whilst at sea for long periods of time.

John Stewart - Core crew
John is 34 years old and an IT Project Manager. Orginally from Ireland, he now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. In order to get race fit, John decided to take up triathalons and has completed Sprint, Olympic and 1/2 Ironman distances.

Christian Talpo - Core crew
Christian is 30 years old and a Restaurant Manager Originally from Italy he now lives in Hong Kong. Before signing up for the Global Challenge, Christian had never sailed before. However, he's always been an adventurer and has already spent a month hiking through the Nepalese mountains and has also participated in two 30km Action Asia Adventure Races. Christian was one of the core crew, that won the Round Britain and Ireland 2004 Race

Richard Wardley - Core crew
Richard is 33 years old and a technical software engineer based in Essex. He became aware of the race when invited on a corporate day, sailing on one of the race yachts before the start of the last race in 2000.