TJV multihull start - LIVE

An updated report from out on the water off Le Havre

NB: This report will be updated regularly over the course of the start (refresh/F9 your screen to see this)

0700 - high tide and the 14 remaining boats all 60ft trimarans, began leaving the Paul Vatine dock in Le Havre. Compared to Saturday it is a slightly sorry sight - the impressive race village around the perimeter of the dock has been dismantled and there are only a handful of spectators to see the boats off

0800 - all the boats are now out of the dock and are milling around the start area. The conditions are perfect -15-20 knots from the southeast and, importantly, a flat sea. This should be good for getting the boats around the Cherbourg peninsula. However the breeze is building and it is expected to became quite squally this afternoon.

0830 The boats are now sitting head to wind having hoisted their mainsails about 10 minutes ago. Most have one reef except Geant. The vis still isn't great and the clouds are moving really quickly. The wind is still around 15-20 knots on the water and has shifted back a little to the southeast. The boats will have to round a mark before they make it around the top of the Cherbourg peninsula and are setting themselves up for a reaching start. The crews have gennikers at the ready on the foredeck.

Aside from the RIBs there's only 5-10 spectator and press boats on the water - in stark contrast to Saturday's start. Geant have stopped their posturing and have put a reef in.

0850 The boats are now being to move around a little under main only ready for the eight minute sequence, although still not a great deal is happening. The speed of the boats just under mainsail when they bear away is pretty staggering. Gitana has had someone up the rig, presumably checking the headboard. The shore crews are still on board and under race rules can be up until the 4 minute gun. Most have dry suits on, so they might be getting dumped in the water...

Although there are few spectator boats out, there is a big crowd along the shoreline.

0855 Things are hotting up. There are now around seven choppers overhead and Banque Populaire has just charged past us a few metres away. Incredible - the boats have got so much pace on! The spectator boats seemed to have increased to about 30. Gitana has had a problem getting their genniker unfurled. All are on starbaord heading down towards the line where they'll probably gybe at the last minute. All the boats are together. No sign of a gun just yet.

0900 They have just started. All the boats went up towards the pin on starbaord but were early so they had to soak low to get through. Sopra Group was the only boat at the committee boat end but they are eating a lot of dirty air now and don't seem to have made any great gain. The lead boat is Bayer, then Groupama, Bonduelle is just flying. All the boats on starboard. One boat - Foncia - has a mainsail and solent up and they are sailing a lot higher than the rest. All the boats have just come around the headland and the breeze is lifting a bit - coming from the east- northeast now.

0910 Bayer is still in the lead. Groupama was just behind, but they have gybed off on to port - the first to do so. Then it is La Trinitaine, Belgacom and Bonduelle. It is really gusty out here and the Italians on TIM have just gone past six boats like they are standing still. It is just amazing. La Trinitaine has just gybed. Sergio Tacchini is picking up a bit of speed right at the back. They are all gybing now. Foncia still doesn't have a zero up. When they gybe they are not going to be a very good position. All the boats are trying to soak down. They are changing direction 20deg in the gusts.

Bayer is now more out to sea, Groupama is in clean air and may have taken over the lead followed by Belgacom and La Trinitaine - Bayer has gone too far. Foncia has gybed now.

0920 It looks like those that gybed first - they are VMG running down towards the point at Cherbourg - they are not laying. They are hoping for a knock. It is really really patchy. If the breeze doesn't knock, boats like Bayer, TIM and Sodebo who've gone offshore will be looking good.

On the water the boats which gybed first are more advanced, so it is still Groupama, Belgacom, La Trinitaine and Geant. They are all lined up. The wind does seemed to be knocking now, so those boats which gybed earlier are starting to look okay.

0935 The boats have now picked up speed and are doing a horizon job. The wind was a bit lighter and patchy as they rounded the headland. We've been doing around 23 knots on our motorboat (and can't see land), so the front runners must doing 25? They are definitely working the boats harder more than trying to find clear air.

Groupama really did some nice work on the shifts. They have got the breeze and taken it down and they are a long way ahead. All the boats which gybed first in that pack are looking in great shape. They are not laying Cherbourg at this stage, but it is a long way to go. The breeze is going forwards and the boats offshore cannot afford to lose height.

So at present it is Groupama, Belgacom, La Trinitaine, Geant and some way behind Banque Populaire. They look to be about 1.5-2 miles ahead of the offshore group who have just had to sail around a ship. TIM and Bayer both went behind the ship, but Sodebo went to weather of it and has got ahead - incredible! Banque Covefi seems to have gone head to wind in irons behind the ship and it is still there. It looked like they might hit it.

Meanwhile Foncia still doesn't have a genniker up. She is a lot higher than the rest of the fleet under Solent and one reef. She is definitely behind, but maybe Alain [Gautier] and Ellen [MacArthur] have different weather information. Maybe they think the wind is going to go way forward. Banque Covefi have just got clear of the ship. They must have been stuck there for five minutes.

Our thanks to Liz Wardley for her top commentry on this start