Virbac Paprec 3 firmly into the Southern Ocean

Barcelona World Race leader passed Gough Island yesterday afternoon

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Positions at 0830 GMT

The first boats we assume are round Gough Island - we say 'assume' because Foncia yesterday afternoon went into stealth mode and so will remain 'off the radar' until tomorrow morning. Nonetheless Jean-Pierre Dick and Loick Peyron on Virbac Paprec 3 rounded the remote British outcrop in the South Atlantic at 1525 GMT yesterday and have since dived off to starboard in order to pick up the stronger WNWerly winds preceding the next big Southern Ocean depression. We imagine that Michel Desjoyeaux and Francois Gabart on invisible Foncia are doing the same.

The pace has slowed for the front runners over the last 24 hours who have been making speeds of 10-12 knots, but they have been making better progress than those astern. The group to the northwest have been having a torrid time. Over the hour leading up to the latest sched Hugo Boss and Estrella Damm had both averaged 2 knots, while prior to the first sched this morning it was the same story for all three back markers. Up to the final sched yesterday 10th placed Central Lechera Asturiana had averaged just 1.7 knots over the previous hour, while at the sched before that Neutrogena and Mirabaud were at a stand still too. 

At present the breeze from the top of the depression remains an elusive 100 miles away to the south for this group, but respite will come for the leaders of this posse tonight when the depression to their south moves east and they can hook into some strong easterlies. Buckle up! Unfortunately this depression is moving east rapidly and it is probable that the back markers won't feel its affects and will be forced to continue in light southerlies, for come Tuesday they look set to be nailed again as the high re-establishes itself right over Gough Island. For these boats this Barcelona World Race has represented one of the most miserable outbound journeys down the Atlantic we can remember. 

Of course for the two leaders there is no shortage of wind now they are in the Roaring Forties. So over the next days we will certainly see them extend while the group behind will become divided between those that did manage to hook into the depression and those that didn't.