Amer Sports One, skippered by New Zealander Grant Dalton, is clinging to a slender lead in the round-the-world race with the first leg due to end on Friday.
A European entry, Amer Sports One is just 32 nautical miles ahead of German boat illbruck, skippered by America's Cup sailor John Kostecki.
Both
boats are expected to take advantage of fresh winds for a spectacular spinnaker run to the Cape Town finish.
The rest of the fleet is lagging well back and only third-placed News Corp, 263 miles behind illbruck, is expected to have favourable windsin the run to Cape Town.
A southerly front is expected to slow the remaining five boats, who will battle headwinds into Cape Town.
Amer Sports One lost 19 miles over illbruck after ripping a spinnaker and broaching in a major wind gust.
However, Dalton's more southerly course has paid dividends, and he retains an edge.
Amer Sports One has dodged its first whale, with navigator Roger Nilson, in an e-mail from the boat, saying that while he loved whales, they posed a serious safety threat.
The whale surfaced just a boat length away, but eventually moved off.
"Grant was quick to start the generator in the hope to make it understand we were not a potential playmate," Nilson wrote.
Race organisers said the turning winds would provide a flying finish for the leaders.
- NZPA
