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Illbruck sets fast pace

Icebergs are a constant threat in the Southern Ocean

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Illbruck has been setting a relentless pace at the front of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet despite the constant danger from icebergs.

In just 48 hours Illbruck has built up a lead of over 40 miles and has set a new leg record 24-hour run of 450 miles, just nine miles less than the overall race record set by SEB of 460.4 miles.

Rather than head towards the deep south and sailing the shortest distance to Cape Horn, Illbruck has been more conservative and positioned itself to the north of the main fleet as the wind further south decreased.

Team Tyco has also made good progress moving up to third place 50 miles behind.

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Navigator Steve Hayles said: "The situation is quite complex with a lot of variables but in simple terms it comes down to a choice of north or south.

"It sounds like it should be easy to resolve such a simple question, but we are constantly juggling short-term versus longer-term positioning and the weather, of course, is constantly on the change, as the weather models struggle to keep up with the rapidly evolving weather systems down here.

"It will be some time to come before we will know what has worked best." Hayles added.

SEB lies about 60 degrees south. Skipper Gurra Krantz was disappointed at their progress.

"We should have been more aggressive to abort the southerly track and go east a lot earlier," said Krantz.

The predictions are for the leaders to round Cape Horn on Sunday as they head for Rio. The fleet left Auckland on January 27 for the fourth of nine legs in the round-the-world race.

Before they get to Cape Horn the greatest danger and constant fear facing the crews is collision with icebergs, particularly "growlers" -- the smaller parts that break off from the main bergs.

Compared with the icebergs that can be over 100 metres high and more than a mile wide, the growlers are smaller, making then difficult to spot, particularly when travelling at high speed at night.

A constant watch is kept on deck as well as the radar.

"It is a little nerve wracking on everyone as we hit speeds of nearly 30 knots knowing that even a small piece of ice that would be too small to be seen on radar, could easily ruin our day." Steve Hayles on Tyco said.