Fundació Navegació Oceànica Barcelona

The two leading entries have three days of sailing in front of them with smooth seas and good wind, and it looks like conditionns won't change until Puerto Limon. Safran and Groupe Bel will provide an interesting testing ground: two practically identical hulls: designed by Van Pétéghem Lauriot-Prévost collaborating with Guillaume Verdie) with radically different rigging.Safran with Marc Guilemot and Charles Caudrelier is fitted with classic rigging with a three tiered mast with spreaders, while Groupe Bel with Kito de Pavant and François Gabart has a rotating wing mast with outriggers. Kito de Pavant lost  mast in the first few days of the Vendee Globe, whilst Marc Guillemot sailed an epic regatta finishing third in the Sables d'Olonne having sailed thee last 1,600 miles with no keel.

Kito de Pavant has four Transat Jacques Vabres behind him, finishing sixth place in the previous edition. Marc Guillemot is sailing the double-handed raace across the Atlantic for the second time and impressed everyone with a second place finish on Safran behind Michel Desjoyeaux. At 10:00 GMT both boats were holding good speeds of 15 to 18 knots with Groupe Bel 56 miles behind Safran and moving closer.

The calm Caribbean seas and the trades are benefitting Mike Golding and Bubi Sansó, sailing third over 170 miles froom Safran. Beyou and Desjoyeaux's Foncia is 250 miles behind them, giving them faith in holding that position. The professeur and Jérémie still haveen't revealed how they will tackle the Antilles, although it's almost certain that they will pass on one side of Martinique.Behind the entry, Veolia Environnement with Bilou and Jean Luc Nelias and Alex Pella and Pepe Ribes' W Hotels are hving a veritable speed battle, with the latter getting faster and faster having overtaken Dee Caffari and Brian Thompson's Aviva.

Far north of the fleet is 1876 with Pachi Rivero and Yves Parlier, currently enjoying some unsteady trades. The entry continues to move south, concerned about the breezeless pockets that may intercept their course to the Antilles. The Spaniard and the Frenchman still haven't decided whether to put Puerto Limon to port or starboard. The primary concern for the team is reaching the steady breeze which will clarify what strategy the crew will take for the final stretch of the race. It's likely that this will be revealed tomorrow afternoon when the crew descend below 22ºN.

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