AFTER rounding Cape Horn for the first time in her life, Ellen MacArthur is continuing to see off the challengers to her remarkable second place in the Vendee Globe.

As the fleet approach St Helena in the Atlantic, with temperatures rising, MacArthur remains 350 miles behind race leader Michel Desjoyeaux in PRB.

But she is struggling to maintain her speed despite clearing away clumps of weed that were impeding her progress earlier in the week.

"Nothing I seem to have done will make Kingfisher go," she reported from the boat this week.

"I just hope that poor apparent lack of speed is a pure illusion, and the position reports show this, though with the others in a different weather system now it's doubtful it will be a good indication."

MacArthur has gone east of the Falkland Islands and, as a result, has been sailing around three knots faster than Desjoyeux.

She added: "We certainly are not yet in a stable weather pattern. The forecasts are subtly changing daily, and it's our job to be able to spot each subtlety as it subtly shows itself!"

MacArthur's ability to spot those subtle changes is one reason why she has given the legends of the seas, including Yves Parlier, Roland Jourdain and Tomas Coville, a run for their money.

While they crashed out trying to stay ahead, Marc Thiercelin in Active Wear is racing hard on MacArthur's heels ensuring she explores every means of keeping up her boat speed.

"I've had ballast in and out, I've even lifted up and down the daggerboard to check there was nothing caught on it.

"Things seem a little better now, but it was a long and tiring period of darkness.

"I was not helped by the fact that I'm sailing in thick fog. So though it's not raining, the second you venture outside you become soaked with a thin but penetrating mist of chill!

"The high point of the night was the dolphin which came to join us for a short while. His small dark body leaping from the waves in the misty darkness. It still amazes me each time one of these creatures comesover to visit."