Solidaire du Chocolat: mare on the home straight

Leaders due into Progreso tonight

Solidaire du Chocolat charts courtesy of Expedition/Tasman Bay Navigation Systems and GRIB (European model) from PredictWind

Positions at 0430 UTC:

Just 164 miles to go for the Franco-German duo of Jorg Riechers and Marc Lepesqueux on mare as they pass through the gap between the northeast tip of the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba and begin to turnwest to the Solidaire du Chocolat finish line at Progeso.

With a 48 mile advantage over the second placed boat and a 15-20 knots southeasterlies set to continue through today, their position is looking comfortable to take first place later tonight, with an ETA of around 2200 UTC.

The second wave of boats is expected tomorrow morning but here the competition is still on with Agir Recouvrement-Bureau Veritas sailed by Stéphane Le Diraison and Adrien Hardy holding second but ith the next two boats just 15-16 miles astern.

The only change in positions over the last 24 hours is that 2010 Solidaire du Chocolat winner Tanguy de Lamotte, sailing with Jean Galfione on Initiatives-Alex Olivier have managed to repair their big kite and have prised sixth place of Jack In the Box, the Sam Manuard-designed sistership to mare.