100 mile lead for Maximus

After day of downtime on board Mari-Cha IV in Rolex Transatlantic Challenge

Positions at 0800GMT

Boat	Cl	Position	DTF	Crs	Spd	Poll time
MAXIMUS	GP	45°18' N 50°11' W	1814.1	162	10.6	08:00h
MARI-CHA IV	GP	45°14' N 50°57' W	1910.6	75	9.5	08:00h
LEOPARD	P1	44°40' N 55°07' W	2026.8	73	7.8	08:03h
SOJANA	P1	45°13' N 55°45' W	2029	70	7.7	08:00h
WINDROSE	P1	42°24' N 53°36' W	2101.9	85	8.3	08:33h
ATLANTIC (1905)	P1	41°19' N 53°00' W	2156.4	90	8.6	08:20h
DRUMBEAT	P1	42°05' N 56°18' W	2176.7	86	7.2	08:00h
WHISPER	P2	42°26' N 57°28' W	2193	84	6.8	08:00h
STAY CALM	P2	43°19' N 59°08' W	2213	77	6.2	08:00h
TIARA	P1	40°30' N 54°17' W	2219.1	94	8.1	08:00h
SARIYAH	P2	41°16' N 60°23' W	2334.3	91	5.6	08:00h
ANEMOS	P1	40°24' N 59°22' W	2340.7	97	6	08:48h
SELENI	P2	40°04' N 59°22' W	2356.4	99	6.6	00:00h
PALAWAN	P2	39°49' N 59°57' W	2385.3	102	5.9	08:00h
TEMPEST	P2	38°23' N 57°07' W	2387.1	107	7.6	04:00h
SUMURUN	CL	39°37' N 60°24' W	2407.5	104	5.8	08:00h
NORDWIND	CL	39°35' N 60°56' W	2425.3	105	5.6	08:00h
MARIELLA	CL	40°01' N 61°51' W	2435	103	5.1	08:00h
OCEAN PHOENIX	P2	41°55' N 64°58' W	2474.6	83	3.7	08:00h
Retired
CARRERA
STAD AMSTERDAM

Following revelations about her mainsail's broken headboard yesterday so we understand that the Mari-Cha IV team spent most of yesterday focussed on fixing the boat rather than racing. "We had two guys up each mast for hours at a time, and to keep it smooth enough for them we had to run downwind away from the finish," described racing helmsman Mike Sanderson. "We are now back at full pace - everything is not permanantly fixed, but we are able to sail at pretty much 100% and certainly will be able to when it comes reaching and running."

However as a result of the downtime Maximus has managed to gain a 96 mile advantage over Robert Miller's 21st century schooner. We have no idea why the figures above indicate Maximus to be heading on a course of 162°. At present the two boats are mid-way across the Grand Banks sailing in southwesterly breeze still associated with the one depression that has been influencing all the boats since the start. Progress will now depend on the movement of this depression. If it remains more or less static as it has done for the last few days then both boats will fall into the clutches of the northwestern lobe of the Azores high and will face light winds followed by a shift to the northwest. However the depression is forecast to start moving northeast and with any luck Maximus and Mari-Cha IV will be able to ride the southwesterlies staying south enough to ensure the depression passes north of them.

Elsewhere in the fleet Leopard has regained the elapsed time lead from Sojana overnight. Peter Harrison's ketch is now just 80 miles from the Newfoundland coast and will have to put in a costly gybe south to clear Cape Race and Point Alpha.

Eventually it had to happen..overnight the Swan 70 Stay Calm has finally relinquished the on the water lead in Performance Cruiser 2 to the substantially larger Whisper.