Early lead for Sodebo

As first morning of the Challenge Mondial Assistance approaches

Yesterday afternoon the 60ft trimarans taking part in the Challenge Mondial Assistance were flying along at 21 knots, but the wind was due to head the fleet as they hurtled down towards Ushant.

Sure enough most headed straight from the Cherbourg peninsula for the flatter waters off the north Brittany coast, tacking along the coast.

The exception was Lionel Lemonchois' Gitana X which took a flier out into the middle of the Channel before heading southwest for Ouessant. Was this pure tactics or is Lemonchois trying to make up for the speed deficit the boat shows at the recent Grand Prix in Lorient?

Since then Foncia (on which Ellen MacArthur is navigating) and Steve Ravussin's Banque Covefi have tacked out into the Channel. Weather charts did indicate the wind filling in from the west.

Meanwhile the lead remains close with just 10 miles separating the top eight boats. The main pack were heading for the Chenal du Four where high tide was around 0130 this morning. At the time of these positions the boats had yet to make the Chenal du Four, where they are expected at around breakfast time.

Tactically it is an interesting time for the navigators as a shallow depression heads into the Bay of Biscay. This is due to cross the track of the boats as they head southwest to round Cape Finistere, during the course of today and those to the west should be first to feel the effects of the wind shift round to the north by late afternoon.

Positions at 0200 Monday

Pos	Boat	Lat	Long	SOG	COG	DTF	DTL
1	Sodebo	48 33.96' N	4 49.12' W	14.3	204	2551	0
2	Bonduelle	48 36.12' N	4 46.52' W	12.1	210	2553	2.7
3	Bayer CropScience	48 38.08' N	4 49.84' W	10	238	2554	3.3
4	Belgacom	48 39.76' N	4 50.36' W	10.2	244	2555	4.6
5	Géant	48 40.72' N	4 45.36' W	9.4	251	2558	7.1
6	Groupama	48 40.84' N	4 41.32' W	13.4	201	2559	8.6
7	Banque Populaire	48 45.20' N	4 50.76' W	13.2	284	2560	9.1
8	Sergio Tacchini	48 42.64' N	4 41.44' W	10.2	218	2561	10.1
9	Sopra Group	48 48.44' N	4 35.40' W	7.9	255	2568	17.1
10	Gitana	49 07.76' N	4 38.96' W	14.2	289	2583	32.5
11	Banque Covefi	49 22.48' N	5 07.40' W	9.7	252	2587	36.8
12	Foncia	49 25.88' N	5 17.40' W	9.8	266	2588	37.1