Strategy Is Key

Yvan Bourgnon aboard Bayer has taken the lead.

Former leader Alain Gautier aboard Foncia-Kingfisher is second. Obviously Yvan Bourgnon made the right choice with a more southern route than the rest of the fleet. The skipper of Bayer was convinced about it. “It is a strategical choice. I’m sure that it will better to be in the south when the front cold will arrive. If it wasn’t for the time we lost repairing the helm and therefore going north for 25 miles, we would have gone even further south “, he said on Sunday.

Bayer is the only boat with a more than 10 knots VMG (11,5 knots) when Foncia-Kingfisher’s VMG is only of 2 knots. The leader is 700 miles away from Sao Miguel Island in the Azores, one of the course’s mark. The first trimaran should get there tomorrow.

In the North, Franck Cammas (Groupama), Marc Guillemot (La Trinitaine-Team Ethypharm) and Jean-Luc NZlias (Foncia) seem to be better positioned than Alain Gautier and Ellen Mac Arthur in the middle. They are currently sailing in the centre of the depression.

The two brand new trimarans Banque Populaire of Lalou Roucayrol and Bonduelle of Jean Le Cam are still heading towards their home port at Port-la-For?t (Brittany) after having encountered breakages. Lalou Roucayrol hopes to quickly repair and get back into the race, but Jean Le Cam had to pull out.