All change

As Figaro sweeps south past Cape Finisterre in Trophee BPE solo transatlantic race

Positions at 0700 GMT

Pos	Boat Skipper	Latitude	Longitude	Spd	Crs	DTF	DTL
1	Lenze Franck Le Gal	44 56.48' N	10 06.08' W	7.7	211	3109.9	0
2	GédimatArmel Tripon	45 35.90' N	10 20.32' W	7.4	251	3112	2.2
3	Suzuki Automobiles Eric Defert	45 31.88' N	10 07.10' W	7.4	255	3119.2	9.4
4	Art Immobilier Construction Daniel Dupont	45 23.89' N	9 59.20' W	7.3	242	3122	12.2
5	Bostik Charles Caudrelier	44 00.57' N	9 22.86' W	8.6	209	3123.5	13.6
6	A.ST Groupe Marc Emig	44 02.64' N	9 17.96' W	8.1	216	3126.2	16.3
7	Luisina Eric Drouglazet	43 45.17' N	9 11.77' W	7.5	222	3126.7	16.8
8	Les Mousquetaires Bertrand de Broc	44 03.92' N	9 18.85' W	7.6	190	3127.1	17.2
9	Financo Nicolas Troussel	44 03.90' N	9 18.47' W	8.1	197	3127.4	17.5
10	France Soir Eric Peron	44 05.49' N	9 18.52' W	7.6	194	3127.4	17.6
11	Belle-Ile-en-Mer Christian Bos	44 26.60' N	9 26.54' W	7.7	210	3127.9	18
12	Cercle Vert Gildas Morvan	43 50.84' N	9 12.55' W	8.1	206	3128.1	18.3
13	Iles de la région Guadeloupe Philippe Quéré	45 44.32' N	9 59.58' W	7.2	234	3128.1	18.3
14	Banque Populaire Jeanne Grégoire	44 08.94' N	9 19.53' W	6.4	171	3128.3	18.4
15	Le Comptoir Immobilier Gildas Mahé	44 11.98' N	9 17.67' W	7.4	212	3128.3	18.5
16	Défi Mousquetaires Thomas Rouxel	44 06.62' N	9 15.97' W	7.4	209	3129.8	19.9
17	Domaine du Mont d’Arbois T Duprey du Vorsent	44 25.68' N	9 16.26' W	8.4	224	3130.6	20.7
18	Groupe Céléos Ronan Treussart	44 07.99' N	9 14.63' W	6.9	208	3130.7	20.9
19	Défi Transat 1 Yannig Livory	44 24.75' N	9 22.31' W	7.4	202	3130.8	20.9
20	Aquarelle.com Yannick Bestaven	43 50.78' N	9 05.16' W	8	223	3131.9	22.1
21	Theolia Robert Nagy	43 50.64' N	9 04.51' W	7.9	219	3132.5	22.6
22	Baïko Antonio Pedro da Cruz	44 11.80' N	8 58.55' W	7.5	201	3142.4	32.6
23	Sojasun Liz Wardley	43 51.56' N	8 46.03' W	7.7	214	3145.9	36.1
24	GFI Group James Bird	44 21.65' N	8 56.50' W	7.8	226	3146.5	36.7
25	Docteur Valnet - Aromathérapie Laurent Pellecuer	43 43.79' N	8 38.33' W	7.4	211	3149.3	39.5
26	Pays Marie-Galante Victor Jean Noël	44 18.41' N	8 13.30' W	8.3	223	3175.8	65.9
ABD	Brossard Servane Escoffier	Abandon

While the first 24 hours of the Trophee BPE singlehanded transatlantic race for the Figaro class saw a majority of the fleet following tracks just south of the great circle, so the weather forecast has in the last 24 hours seen a majority of the fleet dive south. The N-S orientated cold front lying to their west is now in the process of receeding and further west still lies the Azores high pressure system. The latest long term forecast shows this providing the dominant weather for the next week or so, the centre of the high remaining fixed to the Azores, before slowly edging southeast towards the Canary Islands. Thus the only obvious tactic would appear to be to dive south, to stay in the favourable northeasterly winds on its southeast side.

Overnight the boats have seen the wind back around to the north and as a result they are sitll making good progress under spinnaker.

Due to most skippers taking a decided left turn, away from the great circle, so the results table has been turned upside down with former Tour Voile and Gery Trentesaux crewman turned Figaro sailor Franck le Gal taking the lead on his Lenze. However this is not entirely accurate since le Gal is on his own between a group of four boats (including Gedimat of former Mini Transat winner Armel Tripon) who are still to the north.

Leading the charge south is yesterday's leader Eric Drouglazet on Luisina. Winner of the event two years ago, Drouglazet only shaved into this event when he secured sponsorship at the 11th hour. Close behind 'Droug' is perennial Figaro sailor Gildas Morvan on Cercle Vert and Yannick Bestaven on Aquarelle.com. At present these three boats are due north of Cape Finistere. Although the positions above don't confirm this, Liz Wardley on Sojasun is doing well off to port of these three, lying around 10th in the race south. The ever potent Charles Caudrelier is off to starboard chased by Marc Emig and Jeanne Gregoire.

"We have just spent a second magic night," Franck le Gal reported this morning. "All the elements came together - a splendid sky and the superb moon. With the wind in north, it fell a little, but we are always under spi." The boats to the north were the first experience the wind backing.

Eric Drouglazet was impressed by their speed: "It is incredible to cross the Bay of Biscay under spinnaker in such dry conditions. I believe that now we will be able to call that the 'Breton trade wind', but without flying fish and the heat!”, he said in this morning's radio vacation. "I am not at all worried about the choice of the southern option. It is logical for the moment for the leaders to be those who chose the direct road, because they have less distance to the finish, but I do not see how this option will pay in the days to come. In 48 hours we will still have gradient wind, i.e. from the north created by the Azores anticyclone. That will enable us to go down quickly south with winds of about thirty knots. Therefore the western road does not seem to me the best…”