Death defying start for PRB

Race favourite makes initial gain straight out of the blocks in Barcelona World Race

In conditions more typical of a warm summer's day than mid-November, the Barcelona World Race set off on time at 1300 local time (1200GMT) today, Dame Ellen MacArthur and the Mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu, firing off the starting gun.

An impressive spectator fleet of 300-650 boats (depending upon who you believe) swarmed around the offshore side of the race course as the nine Open 60s unfurled their kites and set sail on their downwind first leg to a turning mark up the coast to the northeast, in a 5-8 knot southwesterly breeze.

What few anticipated was how a highly determined duo of Open 60 skippers would not be detered by an already densely packed spectator fleet and so it was that Albert Bargues and Servane Escoffier on board Educacion Sin Fronteras nailed the start line perfectly at the boat (offshore) end, but it was race favourites PRB who crossed with best pace and fearlessly hardened up on starboard bearing down on the fleet of on-lookers. With Vincent Riou steering and Seb Josse standing on the bow screaming at people to move the spectator parted like the Red Sea before Moses, opening up a path ahead of the giant orange Open 60. Incredibly no one was hurt and there appeared to be no collisions - in short a very foolish/brave move by the PRB crew at such as early stage of this 24,500 mile race.

Having been shown the way the rest of the Open 60 also more gingerly headed off into the spectator fleet with the exception of Hugo Boss, Delta Dore and Paprec Virbac. In the event making this move appeared pointless as while PRB reached the turning mark first it was Hugo Boss which rounded in second. At this stage, 18 minutes into the race PRB already led by almost four minutes.

On the upwind leg Alex Thomson and Andrew Cape's black and white steed seemed to suffer and she dropped down to eighth place, as the boats returned to recross the line, Jeremie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet on Delta Dore taking second by this start five and a half minutes astern of PRB and ahead of Guillermo Altadill and Jonathan McKee on Estrella Damm - a Farr Yacht Design, podium.

The fleet had two more marks to leave to starboard before one final waypoint remained just off the port of Sitges, which is to be left to port. After passing that 'Estrella Damm buoy' the Barcelona World Race competitors will be free to find their best route to Gibraltar.

Tacking towards shore en route to Sitges, at 16:15 local time, PRB still holds the lead, with Veolia Environnement, Estrella Damm, Hugo Boss, and Delta Dore all giving chase close behind. The forecast is for lighter winds on Monday, so putting miles under the keel now is critical.

Starting line:
1. Educación sin Fronteras
2. Mutua Madrileña
3. Veolia Environnement
4. Estrella Damm
5. Temenos II
6. PRB
7. Hugo Boss
8. Delta Dore
9. Paprec Virbac 2

1st mark (2.5 miles downwind of the starting line):
1. PRB 13:18:00
2. Hugo Boss 13:21:57
3. Paprec Virbac II 13:22:04
4. Delta Dore 13:22:17
5. Estrella Damm 13:22:37
6. Veolia Environnement 13:22:51
7. Temenos 13:22:57
8. Mutua Madrileña 13:23:01
9. Educación sin Fronteras 13:27:56

Gate (back through starting line):
1. PRB 13:48:06
2. Delta Dore 13:54:44
3. Estrella Damm 13:56:00
4. Mutua Madrileña 13:56:08
5. Veolia 13:57:09
6. Paprec Virbac II 13:57:56
7. Temenos 13:59:49
8. Hugo Boss 14:00:24
9. Educación sin Fronteras 14:06:27