Armel Le Cléac’h passed the Australia West gate last night at around 1944hrs UTC on its most westerly mark 21 minutes ahead of François Gabart, who was 18 miles to the east, but it is Gabart who has made the overnight gain as the Vendée Globe heads under Australia. At 21 miles between leader Gabart’s Macif and Banque Populaire of Le Cléac’h the gap is negligible, but the top two are always gaining miles on the fleet.