Blustery overnight ride

Tour Voile sets sail from Cherbourg reports Kate Jennings

The decision to give the start has finally been taken as a result of a let-up in the blustery conditions forecast on the race course from this evening on.

The winds will still be fairly strong for the planned start at 1600 GMT off Cherbourg Octeville, but they are expected to drop off gradually throughout the night. As a result the boats will be expected into Perros-Guirec at dawn as a NNWly wind helps the fleet sail a direct course, avoiding any extra mileage.

This leg, along with the following one from Perros-Guirec to Locmiquelic, will be the most formidable in navigation terms. Initially there is the passage of the Hague, otherwise known as Raz Blanchard, to negotiate but fortunately this will be with a favourable current.

The fleet will then have to chose the best way of passing Guernsey and Sark. Finally, the arrival in Perros-Guirec in night is a highly tricky passage navigationally because of all the off-lying rocks. The on board computers will smoking in the early hours of tomorrow morning as the boat negotiate this treacherous stretch of coast.

As for the present results - Bouygues Telecom has seized first placed following her leg victory, but they are just 0.5 points ahead of their Mediterranean pursuers on Theoule Mandelieu. Seven points separate the latter from Deneen Demourkas’ American boat, Groovederci.

This early on in the race there is little separation in the results. Nevertheless, Pierre-Loïc Berthet, skipper of Bouygues Telecom, is not worried: "We’re where we want to be. It’s close but we wouldn’t have sailed any other way, neither more aggressively, nor more carefully. We’ve just set the clocks back to zero."

As regards the amateur and student rankings, things are a little more stable: Ville de Geneve Carrefour Prevention has confirmed its place as leader over the past few days, ahead of the locals of the coming leg, Côtes d’Armor. Port de Commerce La Rochelle Estudines.com have had similar achievements in the student division, even if it is with a lead of just 4.5 points.

Due to the lock gates only being opened twice a day, the boats will not be entering the charming port until 0935 GMT tomorrow. They must then leave again that evening at around midnight and wait on the mooring for the start at daybreak on Sunday.