Carnage in the Vendee

The Non-stop Round the World yacht race, the Vendee Globe, has been running for 36 days now. The fleet have all rounded Africa and are charging across the Southern Ocean, averaging up to 20 knots over each 24-hour day.

However, in the violent squalls and mountainous seas of the Southern Ocean, the frenetic pace at the front of the race is taking its toll.

This morning British skipper Mike Golding had just taken the lead, after the previous leader had suffered rudder problems, when Golding's mast came down. It is a cruel blow for Golding, who was dismasted in the Southern Ocean two years ago in the Velux 5 Oceans race after rescuing Alex Thomson of Hugo Boss.

But Golding's was not the only dismasting. Loick Peyron was dismasted a few days ago while leading the race and is now heading for Australia under jury rig.

Dominique Wavre has a broken keel, and his Swiss compatriot, Bernard Stamm is also suffering from rudder problems. Both skippers headed for the remote Kerguelen Islands to shelter while making repairs. As Dominque was readying for departure, Bernard arrived in gale force winds and, losing control of his craft, was forced aground by the savage wind. Bernard was taken off safely and hopes his yacht has not been too badly damaged.

Fortunately all the skippers of these recently damaged yachts remain safe and are now heading for Australia and civilisation.

The race continues apace with Michel Desjoyeaux taking over the lead. He is being hotly pursued with three of his rivals within 50 miles astern. Desjoyeaux won this race in 2001 just a little ahead of Ellen Macarthur.

The two British women, the only women, are still in this race. Samantha Davies is 884 miles behind the leader and Dee Caffari is 1300 miles behind. Although they are far back from the leaders, at the present rate of attrition up the front, the girls may yet finish near the front.

The first yacht to the finish will win. But to win they have to finish.

Eleven of the thirty starters have now suffered damage leading them to retire from the race - and they are not even halfway round yet.

The skippers will continue to flirt with icebergs until after they round the infamous Cape Horn in a few weeks' time. Storms and mountainous seas will assail their craft as they struggle not merely to survive, but to push themselves and their boats to the limits as they seek first of all to finish, and secondly, to win!