Angus Fuller and the Team SpirIT crew arrived in Wellington this week. Feet firmly on land, he talks about some of the challenges which lie ahead in the BT Global Challenge.

Coasting into Wellington, many of the crew started to relax mentally and focus more on what they were going to have to eat first on arrival rather than on sailing the yacht fast.

We were also keen to finish after our watermaker failed restricting our supplies of drinking water over the last eight days. The last day's sailing was beautiful - clear, blue skies with a fresh 45 knot breeze. We had been beating into winds of this strength for well over three days and, when it eventually dropped to 20 knots, we hoisted full sail.

No sooner had we done this than the wind increased dramatically, causing us to change down the sail plan.

The wind again rose but the boat ploughed into the head seas at 9.5 knots and we were we were not keen to slow down.

It was strangely peaceful - just spray and the continuous hiss of water rushing past with the low drone of wind in the rigging and high pitched whinein the guardwires.

Suddenly one of the sails blew out into shreds in a gust of 65 knots and as we ran off downwind to drop it, the wind continued to increase to 80 knots and the boat was surfing at 13 knots even once we had dropped the storm staysail!

We were delighted to finish fourth. We needed desperately to prove to everyone we were competitive and this leg we did it.

Reasons for the improvement include the changing of the other watchleader to one of a better sailor and man-manager and our ability to make the right decision to change sails at the correct time to make the yacht go faster.

We now have five days of boat maintenance after which the yachts are lifted and hulls and rigs checked. The crew are all off travelling and to relax before our next leg, a short 1200nm, seven-day sprint to Sydney that will promise more close racing and good sailing - I can't wait.