Silk Cut, Britain's lone British entrant in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, has consolidated fifth position but is now trailing race leader Innovation Kvarener by over 120 miles on day 11.
Skipper Lawrie Smith's yacht has made a small gain of two miles after increasing its speed but Smith admitted: "It looks like things may get worse before they get better in terms of mileage lost."
The yachts are approaching a vital stage where they must decide which way to sail through the Cape Verde Islands, which lie approximately 350 miles off the coast of Senegal.
According to Paul Cayard, skipper of EF Language, straight through is shorter in distance and could be up to five hours shorter in time.
"This is the shortest path," he said. "It's also the path that gives us the most options if we get some information that says we should definitely go one side or the other."
The positions of Knut Frostad's Innovation Kvarener and Grant Dalton's second-placed Merit Cup strongly indicate that they have decided to take the longer route out to the west.
Whitbread Round The World Race: 1, Innovation Kvaerner, 5176.8 miles to finish; 2, EF Language 5217.1, 40.3 miles to leader; 3, Merit Cup 5217.3, 40.5; 4, Chessie Racing 5267.5, 90.7; 5, Silk Cut 5300.9, 124.1; 6, Toshiba 5370.3, 193.5; 7, America's Challenge 5381.8, 205; 8, Swedish Match 5389, 212.2; 9, Brunel Sunergy 5524.7, 347.9; 10, EF Education 5603.7, 426.9.
