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For now the southerly option of these two yachts has paid off. SEB managed to take up to 16 miles out of their pursuers, even though their navigator Marcel van Triest left the boat at Eclipse Island.

Marcel van Triest left the boat approximately 10 miles before Eclipse Island to return home due to a loss of a close family member. He is expected to return for the third leg of the race due to start on 26 December. The race rules allow for a crew- member to leave the boat in such circumstances.

News Corp, ASSA ABLOY and djuice have lost against SEB closer to land. Amer Sports Too rounded Eclipse Island this morning, but chose to stay close to the Australian shore and go directly to the east.

Amer Sports Too and djuice have been notified by the Race Committee that it intends to protest them for contravening the International Regulations For Preventing Collisions At Sea, Rule 10 (e) and 10 (b) respectively, with regard to the Traffic Separation Scheme in the approaches to Table Bay, Cape Town.

These protests relate to the tracks of the boats approximately one hour after start at Cape Town.

The protest hearings will be held when the boats have arrived in Sydney.

Rule 10 (b) states:

A vessel using a traffic separation scheme shall:

(i) proceed in the appropriate traffic lane in the general direction of traffic flow for that lane;
(ii) so far as practicable keep clear of a traffic separation line or separation zone;
(iii) normally join or leave a traffic lane at the termination of the lane, but when joining or leaving from either side shall do so at as small an angle to the general direction of traffic flow as practicable.

Rule 10 (e) states:

A vessel other than a crossing vessel or a vessel joining or leaving a lane shall not normally enter a separation zone or cross a separation line except:

(i) in cases of emergency to avoid immediate danger.
(ii) to engage in fishing within the separation zone.

Volvo Ocean Race Position Report, Day 18, 0946 GMT:

PS Yacht Latitude Longitude DTF CMG SMG TFHR DTL DTL-C ETA PO

1 TSEB 37 38.48S 121 28.04E 01607 105 10.4 184 0 +0 04 DEC 01 11
2 ILBK 37 33.20S 121 13.32E 01619 110 09.8 180 12 +4 04 DEC 01 15
3 NEWS 36 35.80S 121 27.12E 01622 092 08.8 170 15 +10 04 DEC 01 12
4 AART 36 35.04S 121 27.36E 01622 089 09.1 171 15 +9 04 DEC 01 9
5 DJCE 36 34.88S 120 54.44E 01648 094 07.8 156 41 +16 04 DEC 01 6
6 AONE 37 04.52S 120 17.72E 01669 098 09.4 168 62 +6 04 DEC 01 10
7 ATOO 35 07.84S 118 37.60E 01779 075 08.9 220 172 +9 05 DEC 01 3
8 TYCO 33 58.00S 025 38.12E - - - - - - - -