Left hand turn

With the onset of the northwesterly breeze, so most of the Route du Rhum fleet have tacked south

Images courtesy of Expedition Naviation Systems and ProGRIB

Positions at 0700GMT

Pos	Boat	Skipper	Lat	Long	Spd	Crs	Spd	Crs	Spd	Dist	DTF/L
					Inst		4hr aver		24 hr
	ORMA 60
1	Géant	Michel Desjoyeaux	48 37.64' N	16 10.84' W	17	260	20.4	258	15	360.9	2993.7
2	Banque Populaire	Pascal Bidegorry	48 24.00' N	15 20.08' W	17	266	19.9	252	13.4	322.3	25
3	Brossard	Yvan Bourgnon	48 47.48' N	15 34.36' W	28.3	266	20.9	254	14	337	26
4	Gitana 11	Lionel lemonchois	47 38.60' N	14 45.80' W	23.2	245	22.7	241	13.7	328	28.2
5	Groupama 2	Franck Cammas	48 30.80' N	14 47.96' W	22	243	19.8	237	12.6	302.1	47.3
6	Sodeb'O	Thomas Coville	47 49.28' N	14 01.88' W	20.1	257	21.9	247	12.9	308.9	59.5
7	Foncia	Alain Gautier	48 17.32' N	13 45.08' W	16.4	252	18.7	249	12.4	297.6	80.5
8	Orange Project	Steve Ravussin	48 21.12' N	13 34.52' W	18.3	272	23.1	253	13.1	313.9	88.4
9	Sopra Group	Antoine Koch	48 32.64' N	13 26.20' W	33.3	0	15.3	240	11.3	271.8	90.1
10	Gitana 12	Thierry Duprey du Vorsent	48 10.84' N	12 27.20' W	14.1	248	15.6	244	10.4	250.8	126.4
11	Region Guadeloupe-Terres de Passions	Claude Thelier	48 34.12' N	12 08.44' W	20.2	238	18.7	229	10.5	252.2	146.3
12	Madinina	Gilles Lamire	47 56.36' N	7 38.24' W	10.3	246	10.9	239	6.7	160.3	304.7
	Open 60
1	Virbac-Paprec	Jean-Pierre Dick	49 10.04' N	10 44.84' W	12.4	230	16.2	223	9.2	221.9	3204.1
2	Sill et Veolia	Roland Jourdain	49 33.80' N	10 47.68' W	15.4	228	16.4	240	8.7	209.3	6.5
3	VM Matériaux	Jean Le Cam	49 47.48' N	10 32.36' W	13	219	14.4	238	8.4	201.7	20.5
4	Artemis	Brian Thompson	49 38.76' N	9 29.16' W	15.4	227	12.4	235	7.4	176.7	24.5
5	Temenos II	Dominique Wavre	49 30.44' N	9 26.12' W	16.2	232	15.8	227	7.1	170.9	55.2
6	Brit Air	Armel Le Cléac'h	49 53.84' N	9 13.40' W	12.1	254	11.9	253	6.5	155.9	64.6
7	Roxy	Anne Liardet	49 23.12' N	8 04.08' W	12	253	8.9	251	5.4	130.4	103.5
8	Maisonneuve Basse Normandie	JB Dejeanty	48 04.62' N	6 14.82' W	9.4	246	9.3	239	4.5	107.8	134.1
9	Safran	Marc Guillemot	49 10.56' N	7 08.24' W	15.1	257	10.9	239	4.2	101.2	134.5
10	Adriana Karembeu Paris	Philippe Fiston	48 38.44' N	6 04.72' W	9.3	231	5.7	268	3.5	84.9	165.7
ABD	Delta Dore	Jeremy Beyou
ABD	PRB	Vincent Riou
	Class 2 multis
1	Crêpes Whaou !	Franck-Yves Escoffier	49 38.80' N	11 43.32' W	15.3	230	16.6	233	10	241.1	3178.6
2	Trilogic	Eric Bruneel	48 59.68' N	9 48.48' W	18.1	230	18.4	234	8.3	200.3	56.8
3	Laiterie de Saint-Malo	Victorien Erussard	49 49.00' N	8 59.16' W	11.2	241	12.2	239	6.7	160.1	103.1
4	Jean Stalaven	Pascal Quintin	48 48.80' N	8 13.80' W	16.4	237	14.9	231	7	168.2	112.5
5	Négocéane	Roger Langevin	49 43.62' N	7 14.34' W	11.1	244	6.2	284	5	120.6	141.5
6	Gifi	Dominique Demachy	48 07.52' N	6 06.20' W	14.4	241	9.9	235	3.7	88.5	182
7	Deleage & DIAZO	Loic Escofier	48 46.64' N	5 29.44' W	7	185	6.1	158	2.1	49.8	215.8
8	Le Bon Marche - Rive Gauche	Anne Caseneuve	48 45.68' N	5 13.36' W	16.1	235	5.6	260	1.7	42	225.8
	Class 3 multis
1	Ideal Stelrad	Ross Hobson	47 40.92' N	6 29.52' W	9	231	9.4	228	4.7	113.3	3338.6
2	Imagine-Institut des Maladies Génétiques	Pierre Antoine	47 47.08' N	6 22.60' W	9.3	239	9.9	230	4.2	100	6.1
3	Switch.fr	Charlie Capelle	48 03.84' N	6 13.08' W	13.1	256	9	227	4.1	97.2	16.7
	Class 1 monos
1	Jeunes Dirigeants	Pierre-Yves Guennec	48 30.64' N	6 06.72' W	8.9	233	9.1	229	4.1	98.2	3366.4
2	TAT Express	Arnaud Dhallenne	48 25.68' N	5 49.52' W	8.1	246	8	232	4.3	103.6	9.7
3	Antilles-Sails.com	Philippe Chevallier	49 30.28' N	5 47.88' W	8.3	244	6.7	235	3.2	77.3	28
4	Ville de Dinard	Bruno Reibel	48 43.20' N	4 38.16' W	8	241	7.1	242	2.6	61.5	59.8
	Class 2 monos
1	Artforms	Kip Stone	49 12.76' N	7 20.80' W	14.3	245	11	237	5.5	130.9	3331.4
2	Vedettes de Bréhat Cap Marine	Servane Escoffier	48 40.36' N	7 03.16' W	10.4	195	6.3	244	5.1	121.6	1.8
3	AOI Solidarité Dentaire Internationale	Denis Douillez	48 49.92' N	4 50.76' W	8	227	7	234	2.3	55.8	88.5
NL	Cap Guadeloupe 971	Luc Coquelin
	Class 3 monos
1	Roaring Forty	Michel Kleinjans	48 42.76' N	7 22.36' W	10	251	8	252	5.5	132.2	3321.7
2	Charter Regis Guillemot Martinique	Regis Guillemot	48 33.28' N	6 53.56' W	6.7	249	7.4	243	5.5	132.2	12.3
3	La Promesse	Jankees Lampe	49 33.80' N	5 48.72' W	0.3	120	5	225	3.6	87.1	73.1
4	DangerousWhenWet	Aurélia Ditton	49 02.20' N	4 48.32' W	7.5	240	7	238	2.2	52.9	102.8
5	A Fond Contre la Spondylarthrite	Didier Le Villain	48 48.44' N	4 34.08' W	7	234	6.3	236	2.6	62.2	108.4
6	Fantasy Forest	Alain Grinda	48 59.94' N	4 12.30' W	6.3	346	3.2	264	2.3	54.1	125.5
	Class 40
1	Atao Audio System	Dominic Vittet	49 08.16' N	7 28.04' W	11.3	251	8.9	248	5.4	129.5	3325.5
2	Oyster Funds	Gildas Morvan	48 38.00' N	7 10.40' W	11	248	8.7	245	5.1	123.1	2.4
3	IXSEA	Olivier Rabine	48 58.80' N	7 14.80' W	10.3	230	9	239	5.8	138	5.6
4	Bolands Mill	Ian Munslow	48 30.56' N	6 49.24' W	7	234	8.4	231	4.9	118.7	13.8
5	philsharpracing.com	Phil Shark	48 43.96' N	6 49.00' W	10	243	8.2	245	5.1	122.2	17.7
6	Appart'City	Yvan Noblet	48 29.60' N	6 42.48' W	6.2	208	8.9	228	5.1	122.5	17.8
7	Kenmore Homes	Nick Bubb	49 08.08' N	6 43.44' W	10	233	8.1	238	4.7	111.9	22.8
8	TMI Technologies	Joe Seeten	48 01.00' N	6 11.64' W	8.5	249	7.6	242	3.9	93.5	29.9
9	FNAIM Pays de Loire	Lionel Regnier	48 55.00' N	6 27.48' W	10.1	229	7.8	236	4.3	102.2	34.3
10	Lexibook	Hervé Papin	48 35.32' N	6 13.88' W	4	244	7.5	247	4.3	103.4	37.6
11	Siegenia-Aubi	Marc Lepesqueux	48 15.12' N	6 04.64' W	8.4	248	8.2	246	3.7	89.8	38.2
12	Tchuda Popka 2	Gw Catherine	48 14.28' N	6 03.52' W	8.9	240	8.2	239	3.6	85.2	38.7
13	Cinémas Cinéfil.com	JE Criquioche	48 34.40' N	6 10.24' W	8.1	234	7.9	242	5.1	123.4	39.7
14	Fermiers de Loué - Sarthe	Francois Angoulvant	48 32.40' N	6 06.04' W	8.4	256	7.7	239	5.1	122.4	41.8
15	Le Comptoir Immobilier	Guillaume Voizard	48 47.12' N	5 58.04' W	9	222	8	229	3.9	93.6	42.8
16	Chocolats Monbana	Damien Grimont	48 21.44' N	5 52.48' W	10	240	8.1	240	3.7	89.2	43
17	Cotes d'Armor - Pierres et Mer	Philippe le Gros	49 15.92' N	6 19.60' W	10.1	240	8.3	233	4.3	104.3	45.1
18	Paca Entrprendre	Cecile Poujol	48 22.92' N	5 52.08' W	8	248	7.6	244	3.6	86	48.3
19	Guyader L'Esprit de la Mer	Gery Trentseaux	48 41.84' N	5 50.40' W	5.1	246	8.2	242	3.2	76.8	54.3
20	Nous Entreprenons	Jacques Fournier	49 09.00' N	6 00.72' W	10.1	234	7.4	234	3.6	86.3	55
21	Destination Calais	Pierre-Yves Chatelain	48 55.72' N	5 49.48' W	8.4	224	7.2	239	3.3	78.3	58.6
22	Jardin Bio Equitable	Benoit Parnaudeau	48 27.72' N	5 37.32' W	8	236	8.3	234	3.2	76.8	59
23	Cap VAD	Thibaud Derville	48 43.36' N	5 41.20' W	5.2	248	6.1	269	3.1	73.3	60.6
24	KNAUF Industries	David Lefebvre	48 46.44' N	5 41.32' W	7	237	7.7	236	2.9	68.7	61.3
25	Nouvelle Caledonie	Yves Ecarlat	48 35.76' N	5 31.40' W	7.1	246	6.2	250	3.1	73.9	64.8

No dramas overnight since the dismasting of PRB yesterday afternoon, although Marc Guillemot's Safran (formerly Ellen's Kingfisher and the boat which won the Open 60s four years ago) seems to have had some trouble and is currently amid the Class 40s, although sailing at 15 knots at the latest record



Tactically the moment when to tack to the southwest may prove significant. It looks like yesterday evening Cammas tacked and then tacked back before finally tacking southwest again at around 2300GMT. Way up to the north race leader Michel Desjoyeaux on Geant tacked around 2100GMT and appears to have sailed a slightly deeper angle than his rivals since. However Yvan Bourgnon on Brossard is now the most northerly boat. Pascal Bidegorry on Banque Populaire took a slightly different approach, further south and tacking early at around 1800GMT last night crossing astern of Groupama. Lionel Lemonchois on Gitana XI is now the most southerly boat having tacked at around 2100GMT last night.

At present the ORMA tris are enjoying excellent conditions - 20-25 knot winds from the northeast. According to the latest forecast conditions look set to remain quite stable for the next 24 hours with the wind clocking slowly into the east and it is likely we'll start to see some serious speeds produced over this period. The next meteorological hurdle they will have to deal with is a ridge which they should come up against tomorrow night to the north of the Azores, which will see the wind close around from the southeast to the northwest.

"It is not very extreme," said MIchel Desjoyeaux earlier this morning. "Just occasional gusts of 30 knots. Up to now, I have done what is necessary. I must continue without missing an option”. Desjoyeaux hinted about an "interesting decision to take at the end of thed day" which presumably will be something to do with the impeding ridge.




The Open 60 leaders got the shift to the northwest a little later most tacking around 1-3am this morning. According to the forecast the shift was due to move in from the west, so that to the south have been able to make gains tacking inside the shift. The winner from this particular manoeuvre has been Brian Thompson on Artemis who pulled up to third place, even though the present sched has him fourth, more or less neck and neck with Roland Jourdain on Sill et Veolia. Both boats are round 18 miles astern (down the race course) of leader Jean-Pierre Dick on Virbac Paprec. Not too many people will questioning Dick's solo sailing skill after his performance so far this race. Of the frontrunners the ever threatening Jean le Cam on VM Materiaux remains furthest north.

With both new Farr boats, Delta Dore and PRB, out of the Route du Rhum so the sole remaining new boat left is the Owen Clarke designed Temenos, currently lying fifth. We understand that skipper Dominique Wavre may have been held up last night when one of his daggerboars slipped below its top bearing.

Being southwest of the high pressure to their northwest, so the Open 60 are still sailing in NNWerly winds compared to the running conditions of the ORMA 60s, but they should be into similar conditions by the end of the morning.

Meanwhile battle still rages among the Class 40s where the official results table have this morning's leader as Dominique Vittet on the Lombard-designed ATAO Audio Systems. Quite how this is true given that Vittet is one of the most northerly boats we don't know. Five boats are presently more or less neck and neck with rugby player-sized Figaro stalwart Gildas Morvan on Oyster Funds holding a slight advantage, with Olivier Rabine in IXSEA to his north and Ian Munslow and Yvan Noblet to his south. Phil Sharp appears to be sixth on a similar track to Morvan's, while up to the north Nick Bubb appeaars to be ninth. Two boats are also doing well to the south having snuck around Ushant are Marc Lepesqueux and Gw Catherine. As present the boats to the north appear to have more breeze although this looks set to equalise over the course as the wind veers round to the northeast for the boats over the course of this evening.