Davies off on a blinder

British Figaro girl beats race leaders to weather mark in leg three of Solitaire du Figaro

Leg three of the Solitaire du Figaro got underway this afternoon in an 8-10 knot westerly breeze. Benoit Petit on Défi Santé Voile got off to the best start, but in a remarkable display of form it was Sam Davies on board Skandia who was to round the weather mark 2.3 mile up the track in first place - ahead of Michel Desjoyeaux and overall race leader Yann Eliès on Groupe Générali Assurances and leg two winner Armel Le Cléac’h on Créaline...

On the subsequent run Michel Desjoyeaux on Géant ungentlemanly overtook Skandia and at the Radio France buoy, 4.3 miles from the windward mark, near Île d’Aix, MichDes was leading the fleet at 17h19m09s BST. Hot on Davies' heels were Eliès Le Cléac’h.

Ahead of them lie 536 miles before their arrival in Dingle on the west coast of Ireland and an initial night with a calm forecast for the start of the night before the nocturnal breeze establishes itself.

The fleet are currently sailing at 25 degrees to the direct route on port tack at 4-5 knots. The current south of the Île de Ré is favourable so the fleet should reach the top of the island at around 22h30, making Pointe du Grouin, southeast of Les Sables d’Olonne by midnight.

Tomorrow there will be a local system of breezes near the coast with a southwesterly kicking in during the afternoon, veering to the west in the evening.