A process for the production of a multi-filament ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) yarn comprising the steps of: a) forming a solution of an UHMWPE in a solvent at an elevated temperature, said UHMWPE having an intrinsic viscosity when measured in decalin at 135 °C of from 5 to 45 dl/g; b) passing said solution through a multi-filament spinneret to form a solution yarn, said spinneret being at an elevated temperature; c) drawing said solution yarn at a draw ratio of from 1.1:1 to 30:1; d) rapidly cooling said solution yarn to a temperature below the gel point of said solution to form a gel yarn; e) drawing said gel yarn in at least one stage at a draw ratio of from 1.1:1 to 30:1; f) removing solvents from said gel yarn while drawing to form an essentially dry yarn containing less than 10 weight percent of solvents; g) drawing said dry yarn in at least one stage to form a partially oriented yarn having a tenacity of from 10.6 to 22.1 cN/dtex (12 to 25 g/d), wherein said partially oriented yarn is produced at a rate of at least 0.35 g/min per filament of said partially oriented yarn; h) optionally relaxing said partially oriented yarn from 0.5 to 5% of its length; i) winding up said partially oriented yarn; j) unrolling said partially oriented yarn and drawing it in at least one stage at a temperature of from 130 °C to 160 °C to a draw ratio of from 1.8:1 to 10:1 to form a highly oriented yarn having a tenacity of from 33.6 to 61.8 cN/dtex (38 to 70 g/d; 34.2 to 63 g/dtex); k) cooling said highly oriented yarn under tension and winding it up; wherein steps a) through i) are conducted continuously in sequence and are discontinuous with continuous sequential steps j) to k). a) forming a solution of an UHMWPE in a solvent at an elevated temperature, said UHMWPE having an intrinsic viscosity when measured in decalin at 135 °C of from 5 to 45 dl/g; b) passing said solution through a multi-filament spinneret to form a solution yarn, said spinneret being at an elevated temperature; c) drawing said solution yarn at a draw ratio of from 1.1:1 to 30:1; d) rapidly cooling said solution yarn to a temperature below the gel point of said solution to form a gel yarn; e) drawing said gel yarn in at least one stage at a draw ratio of from 1.1:1 to 30:1; f) removing solvents from said gel yarn while drawing to form an essentially dry yarn containing less than 10 weight percent of solvents; g) drawing said dry yarn in at least one stage to form a partially oriented yarn having a tenacity of from 10.6 to 22.1 cN/dtex (12 to 25 g/d), wherein said partially oriented yarn is produced at a rate of at least 0.35 g/min per filament of said partially oriented yarn; h) optionally relaxing said partially oriented yarn from 0.5 to 5% of its length; i) winding up said partially oriented yarn; j) unrolling said partially oriented yarn and drawing it in at least one stage at a temperature of from 130 °C to 160 °C to a draw ratio of from 1.8:1 to 10:1 to form a highly oriented yarn having a tenacity of from 33.6 to 61.8 cN/dtex (38 to 70 g/d; 34.2 to 63 g/dtex); k) cooling said highly oriented yarn under tension and winding it up; wherein steps a) through i) are conducted continuously in sequence and are discontinuous with continuous sequential steps j) to k).