IT'S catch up time for Southampton sailor Mike Golding on Team Group 4 in the Vendee Globe race.

Golding lost some time when he had to divert Team Group 4 to Kerguelen Island to find flat water so that he could repair a fitting at the top of the mast but, since then, Team Group 4 has made good speed and Golding is determined to make up lost time.

In a call to his shore team yesterday, Golding reported that Team Group 4 is roaring along at an average of 20 knots in winds of 35-55 knots, lying 15th in the fleet.

Team Group 4 is sailing under storm jib and deep-reefed main, but Golding anticipated that he would soon have to drop the mainsail and sail under just his headsail as it was so windy.

"I can't see any let up in this weather for about two days," he said.

Golding was still in a very buoyant mood and was filming the heavy weather.

He is aiming to move north to avoid a low wind area coming up in about two days' time.

Golding celebrated his fifth Christmas at sea by playing Frank Sinatra's "My Way" in the heart of the Southern Ocean.

Cowes-based Ellen McArthur, lying in third place in Kingfisher, decorated her cabin on Christmas Day, while setting fire to her grandmother's Christmas pudding laced with rum.

She said: "I've opened my presents and the best one was the weather forecast.

"I'm so happy to be in third place because I've had problems with my gennaker halyard.

"I decorated the cabin and set fire to my grandmother's Christmas pudding with some rum!

"I missed my family and friends a lot on Christmas Day."

Thierry Dubois (Solidaires) has been forced to quit the race after the breakdown of his main alternator and the failure of his batteries.

" He has decided to make a stop in New Zealand for repairs.

There are still 50 or so days left of this race and around 11,500 miles to go to the finish of this epic race at Sables d'Olonnes in the Vendee region of France.