Silk Cut has recovered from the setbacks of midweek to gain some ground on the leaders in the Whitbread Round the World Race.

Lawrie Smith and his crew were within sight of the lead just seven days ago when they were hit by a series of squalls and thunderstorms off the Portuguese coast.

Then, after the storms, the vessel got stuck in light winds and could only watch as the leading boats accelerated away.

But by Sunday, Silk Cut had clawed back nearly 80 miles on leader Innovation Kvaerner and was trading places with Chessie Racing for fourth place.

"It was an agonising time for us," said helmsman Gordon Maguire. "We got caught in a hole, powerless and motionless as the western boats Kvaerner and Merit sailed away from us and Chessie - to the east - came from behind and passed."