Fundació Navegació Oceànica Barcelona

After going down in a breezeless pocket, Pachi Rivero and Yves Parlier tacked west looking for good wind in a small squall to the far north of the fleet. Because of this tack at the moment they have been lost four positions but it gives them the hope to meet a route without anticlonic wells up to the step of La Mona.

For his part the W Hotels continues progressing. Alex Pella and Pepe Ribes are at the moment at 18 miles from the Aviva with Dee Caffari and Brian Thompson and 43 miles away from Veolia Environnement with Roland Jourdain and Jean Luc Nélias. Bearing in mind that the Aviva skippers were sixth and fifth in the last Vendée Globe and skippers Jourdain and Nélias have various round the world races under their belts, a second place each in the Transat Jacques Vabre, and they’re sailing a well known boat, this is a very good result for Pella and Ribes. Both are debutantes in the double-handed IMOCA class and they are sailing a boat that they’ve only had for just over a month.

At the top of the the fleet, Safran is still calling the shots, especially when it comes to speed. Marc Guillemot and Charles Caudrelier now have Groupe Bel with Kito de Pavant and François Gabart over 40 miles away. Mike Golding and Bubi Sansó who dropped back 15 miles from the leaders are currently on the third step of the competition podium. With few tactical options until the entrance to the Caribbean, everything looks like Safran will continue to push further away from the rest of the boats until then.

General Rankings at 11:00 GMT
IMOCA Open 60 class:                                                     

1. SAFRAN. Marc Guillemot - Charles Caudrelier, 1,880.6 miles from finish.
2. GROUPE BEL. Kito de Pavant - François Gabart, 43 miles from leader.
3. MIKE GOLDING YACHT RACING. Mike Golding - Javier Sanso, 115.8 miles from leader.
…..
7. W HOTELS. Alex Pella - Pepe Ribes, 544.4 miles from leader.
8. 1876. Pachi Rivero - Yves Parlier, 558.6 miles from leader.
10 entries.