Thomson into the lead

As leader cross Equator in Defi Atlantique

Positions at 1100GMT

Pos	Skipper	Lat	Lat	DTL	DTF
1	Alex THOMSON	N014838	W0333975	0	3213.3
2	Jean Pierre DICK	N013552	W0331268	0.7	3214
3	Mike GOLDING	N000840	W0312370	38.6	3251.9
4	Vincent RIOU	N000710	W0313146	42.7	3256
5	Sébastien JOSSE	S001440	W0311092	55	3268.3
6	Nick MOLONEY	S002804	W0310912	67	3280.3
7	Joe SEETEN	S001912	W0324348	94.3	3307.6
8	Benoît LEQUIN	S031772	W0312028	229.4	3442.7
9	Benoît PARNAUDEAU	S033148	W0335608	299.8	3513.1
10	Anne LIARDET	S042528	W0341220	355.6	3568.9

Alex Thomson aboard the Lombard-designed Open 60 AT Racing (ex Sill) has pulled into the lead in the Defi Atlantique, the Open 60 singlehanded race from Salvador de Bahia, Brazil to La Rochelle.

The first four boats are now into the north Atlantic with Thomson and Dick way out to the northwest (see chart above) - AT Racing is some 168 miles away from third placed Mike Golding on Ecover.

“Last night was easy sailing, although I had full main up and solent or gennaker a couple of times overnight when the wind got up to 38 knots, so I don’t want to be doing that again!" commented Thomson. "This morning though has been really hard, I think I overdid it on the sail changes - 15 I reckon - at one point the wind swung from 35 knots from the southeast to 20 knots from the east in 10 minutes flat. I’m now going along at 10-13 knots but might have to run up on deck and change again soon. It’s a real pain in the arse, you know, but physically I’m fine. I got five hours kip last night so I was ready for it today. I don’t feel I’ve been pushing too hard, in fact I had throttled back a bit this morning to pace myself so I’m quite surprised to see myself in the lead really."

At present the skippers are experienced extremely variable and often lively conditions. "I have just been through a huge squall. The wind built to 35 knots - I was surprised by its force," commented a nervous sounding Jean-Pierre Dick earlier. At the time Virbac was sailing at 19 knots.

While the leaders have just crossed the equator paramount in their minds is the Doldrums. The two groups of boats suggests two different opinions about where is the best place to cross. Looking at the weather charts it seems impossible to tell. Even now the forecasts are conflicting not only with themselves but with the weather they are experiencing.

"Getting smoked a bit here..." commented Nick Moloney on board Team Cowes earlier "Jo-Jo [Sebastien Josse] is a bit quicker than me and east of north but I have bit the bullet to cross the Doldrums now. I crossed the Equator at 1230GMT and going north hard as I can as close to north as I can. PRB is heading west of north and I am just trying to stay in the middle and should end up on Mike's [Golding] line in a few hours time. Boat speed is ranging between 12-17 knots as the wind speed fluctuates and sailing a true wind angle of 110 degrees with genoa and full main. Most wind I had was last night - around 21 knots - but averaging around 18 knots. The waves are steep and the nose of the boat is always in the wave in front - one reason I don't want to switch to the gennaker - as she might not come out if I have that up.

"In two days time east of us is a cell of no wind around 28-29 degrees but I am sticking to the waypoint of around 31 degrees to cross. There is an area of instability although the closer we get the more accurate the weather picture is, but it's not a bad line to take and I think I will have a good lane through. If I go down you can bet some of the others will go with me! I am not worried about the guys 30 miles north - the risk of them getting through and me parking up is minimal.

"It's about to get tough and I have been up all night trying to hold on to too much sail in an effort to hang on to Ecover and PRB but I have rested during the day so feel in good shape."