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While the ‘western tactic’ paid off yesterday for Hugo Ramon and other skippers on the right of the fleet, today it looks like those to the East are the ones enjoying the rewards of their call. Quite simply the tactic means they have reached the bigger, stable breeze of the Southeast. These are the trade winds of the Southeast causing a slow but progressive spreading out of the fleet. It’s the accordion expanding, a spring being released, which is one of the exasperating elements of battling with the Doldrums - the frustrating lulls at the Equator which are honouring their notoriety in this edition of the Mini Transat.
 
In the Prototypes Division Thomas Ruyant continues to set the pace and is adding miles to the distance between his stern and the bows of his rivals. The Frenchman is sailing at increased speeds, consistently some tenths of a knot faster. He has now reached a south-eastern zone where he can start thinking about holding his lead as he heads for the next strategic point in the race: the island of Fernando de Noronha.

Ruyant is some 68 miles in front of Leg 1 winner Bertrand Delesne, a distance which has progressively increased and looks set to put the French skipper of Faber France in pole position for victory in this race, calculated by adding the times for each leg together.

Hugo Ramon’s tactics

Hugo Ramon has sacrificed second place in the Series Division to try to carve out a better position for himself in relation to the bulk of his rivals threatening from the East. During the night the Spanish skipper performed a long starboard tack, moving into a central position by 06:00 GMT, close to the orthodromic line and leaving the leader Francisco Lobato alone on his western course.

The manoeuvre proved costly for Ramon and meant dropping back two places after having scaled fifteen, although the gamble may pay off if the Spaniard reaches the weak flow of the trades forecasted in yesterday’s weather report. All should become clear this afternoon.

Toni Weijl steps on the gas

The best performing member of the Spanish Mini GAES Solidaria team over the last 24 hours was Toni Weijl, who has managed one of the highest speed averages at 4.35 knots, sailing at the centre of the fleet. This pace has allowed the skipper to climb three places and move in to twentieth place, two ahead of Gerard Marin and closer to eighteenth placed Juan Carlos Sanchis, eight miles in front.

Anna Corbella is the best performing Spaniard in the Prototype Division and continues to sail steadily, although yesterday afternoon the skipper entered an area with no breeze and had a few technical problems. Corbella tacked many times and achieved a low average speed (2.86 knots in 24 hours). Anna watched as the top of the fleet slipped from 55 to 100 miles away. However, this morning the Spanish skipper had picked up speed and was sailing in seventeenth position.

Joel Miro continues to hold a steady position in the fleet although, along with many of his rivals, he may fall victim to the lulls forecasted for this afternoon. Joel is sticking to his western tactic, that has proved successful over the last few days.
 
Rankings 05:00 GMT.
Prototype Division:                                                    

1.     Ruyant, Thomas / Faber France (FRA), 1,109.4 miles from finish.
2.     Cuinet, François / Plan Jardin (FRA), 27.58  miles from leader. 
3.     Schipman, Henri Paul / Maison de l'Avenir Urbatys  (FRA), 43.95 miles from leader.
....
17.  Corbella, Anna / Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 137.53 miles from leader.
18. Sanchis, Juan Carlos / Somni – Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 140.84 miles from leader.
....
20.  Weijl, Toni / Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 148.68 miles from leader.
....
22.  Marín, Gerard / Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 156.04 miles from leader.
33 entries.
 
Series Division:

1.     Lobato, Francisco / Roff Tmn (ITA), 1,192.32 miles from finish.
2.      Dalin, Charlie / Cherche Spansor- charliedalin.com (FRA), 31.81 miles from leader.
3.      Apolloni, Ricardo / MaVie pour Mapei (ITA), 32.92 miles from leader.
4.     Ramon, Hugo / Nassau – Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 47.69 miles from leader.
…
31.   Miró, Joel / Gaes Solidaria (ESP), 134.78 miles from leader.
47 entries.