It really ain't over 'til the fat lady sings - TechnoMarine the right way up

The Route du Rhum continues to serve up surprises. In Guadeloupe everyone was preparing for the sweet victory of Swiss Stève Ravussin on TechnoMarine but a viscous squall last night decided differently and flipped him.

Géant has now taken over the lead of the 60-foot trimaran fleet. The three remaining ORMA trimarans will try and sail as cautious as possible after the shocking news of last night's capsize - the 1998 record of 12 days 8 hours and 41 minutes is not likely to be broken.

Sailing with one reef in the mainsail and gennaker up, the Swiss skipper leading the fleet capsized last night at 22.21 GMT, 734 miles from the finish line in Guadeloupe.

Ravussin was in the interior of the boat when a fierce squall lifted the boat. The leeward bow crashed into a bigger wave than the others. Ravussin tried to ease the sheets and let go of the sails, but in vain, the boat flipped over.

The battle has been hard fought between the leading monohulls Kingfisher and Mike Golding on Ecover had his worst night so far, having to climb the mast twice to try and save his spinnaker. Less than 800 miles to go and Ellen MacArthur's 60-foot monohull Kingfisher is now the closest boat to the finish. This might mean that for the first time in the Route du Rhum's history a monohull will be first over the finish line! Keep in mind that the 60-foot trimarans started 24 hours later than the rest of the fleet, and that the Route du Rhum consists of five classes and therefore five winners.

ETA Kingfisher: early Saturday morning GMT. ETA Géant: Sunday midday GMT.

The last hard strike on the trimaran fleet was not pleasant news for the three remaining ORMA 60' trimarans in the race. Lalou Roucayrol on Banque Populaire (second 60' trimaran) has discussed over the satellite phone with Marc Guillemot on Biscuits La Trinitaine (third 60' trimaran) not to take any risks. "It is hallucinating to think that we are only three left out of the 18 trimaran strong fleet. The objective now is that the three of us get to Guadeloupe. In what position we get there is not the most important. These boats are fabulous to sail and all that has happened to the fleet is really tragic," said Roucayrol who is now spending at least 15 hours a day at the helm, not relying too much on the autopilot.

The winner of the Vendée Globe 2000, Michel Desjoyeaux on Géant is of course happy to be in the leading position, but the feeling is bittersweet. “I have been parachuted into the lead, thanks to the misfortune of the others. That is maybe not ideal,” said Desjoyeaux.

The conditions demand hundred percent attention aboard, and after 12 days racing, solo at full speed, the fatigue and stress could have serious effects.

After the extremely close racing between the two British skippers Ellen MacArthur and Mike Golding, MacArthur is taking off, 65 miles in front of Golding at 1500 GMT. Mike Golding's misfortune losing both his spinnakers will make the hunt for first place even more difficult. Golding's second and last spinnaker (first one ripped) was wrapped into the forestay and rig last night when he was re-hoisting it after having taken it down during a big squall. “The conditions were very squally during the night and I was just rehoisting the spinnaker. I was at front pulling it up, when it took a bad roll, and got caught in the rig. I had to spend hours trying to sort it out, and climbed the top of the mast twice. It was really quite scary. It's a mess, the spinnaker is still badly wrapped up in the inner forestay, and it will be very difficult to sort that out. I have cleared the forestay so I am using the solent“, said Golding at midday.

Kingfisher and Ecover are both on a similar course as the capsized TechnoMarine. TechnoMarine's skipper Stève Ravussin has not required emergency rescue, his shore crew is currently organising a rescue operation from Guadeloupe for him and his boat.

Further back in the monohull fleet, race veteran Mike Birch from Canada was enjoying the beautiful day. “It is a perfect, idyllic day for sailing. The wind is from north-northwest and it's great sailing, but I would like to go a little bit faster and be closer to the others,” said Birch, winner of the first Route du Rhum in 1978. Birch's Tir Groupé – Montres Yema is currently the 10th IMOCA monohull with Dinan Pays d'Entreprises and Ciments St Laurent- Ocean behind. The second Canadian in the fleet, Patrick de Radiguès on Garnier Belgium is two positions ahead of his fellow country man.  De Radiguès' southerly option paid off and the French Canadian climbed the rankings these last days. Those in the mid-fleet who were more to the west have still not completely escaped the light anticyclone conditions.

Nick Moloney on Ashfield Healthcare is still in a stable lead of the class 2 monohulls, as are Regis Guillemot on Storagetek of the class 3 monohulls, and Franck Yves Escoffier on Crêpes Whaou of the class 2 multihulls.

Since last Sunday Yvan Bourgnon has, together with his shore team, tried to return the capsized boat Rexona Men to facilitate the towing. However, in the rough seas, with three to four metre waves, the Swiss skipper had to abandon his overturned boat last night. The boat will be located with the Argos beacon and the strong winds from the west will push the boat towards the Portuguese coast.