Fiji race leaders hit the Trades at last
'High level shot of the race fleet with Fiji in sight, 242nm away at 1930hrs on 4 June 2008'
RNZYS Media
There has been some dramatic changes in the positions and tempo of the Auckland Fiji race as the leaders have, at last, hit trade winds.
Overnight leader Systems Thunder has dropped from being race leader by 7nm to lie in fourth place, 9nm behind the new race leader V5 (Simon Hull) which was fourth , 8nm off the pace this morning. 
However the reality is that the five leading boats V5, Ran Tan II, Wired, Pussy Galore and Systems Thunder are all spread in a line across the Pacific.
Boat speeds have doubled today with average speeds of 13kts being recorded ovet the past 12 hours by the race leaders. Systems Thunder reported she was traveling at 18-20kts and was expecting to make landfall in Fiji around noon on Friday.
In a reversal of the positions yesterday, the yachts who have maintained a more westerly position on the fleet have come through, while those on the eastern side have slipped a little.
At 1930hrs tonight the lead yacht, V5 had 242nm to sail to the finish in Musket Cove. 
by Richard Gladwell 
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