Peyron (Gitana Eighty) more than doubled his overnight lead, stretching to 30 miles ahead of second place Josse (BT) who is about 22-25 miles to the west, while Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux)  to the east maintains third 1.6 miles behind, and about 35 miles to the east also averaging the same speeds as Gitana Eighty.

There is now about 110 miles of lateral separation west to east between the tussling pair of Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air), 7th, Vincent Riou (PRB), 8th, in the west and Le Cam in the east.  
While Peyron has returned consistently the highest average speeds since the last poll, out to the west a duel has been going on between 2004 winner Riou and Le Cléac’h who are about 6 miles apart this morning, but were within 1.5 miles of each other in the very early hours, when they were both hit by a 30 knots squall and heavy rain shower.

Le Cléac’h noted sagely:
“These squalls come to remind us we are not on a pleasure cruise.”
The pack chasing after the leaders is now led by a certain Yann Elies (Generali), now up to 5th, who has inherited certain family traits. In the Aurore Race, his father Patrick was given the nickname of the "Red Louse", as he was always very difficult to shake off aboard his red boat. Yann appears to follow in his father's footsteps: Yesterday, he said he wanted to be within fifty miles of the leader, but now he is only 15 miles from Jean-Pierre Dick and 25 from Sébastien Josse.

Mike Golding stepped back into the top 10 after a solid night on Ecover 3, returning the best averages of his immediate rivals, also making a small gain on the lead boats. He has been keeping Brian Thompson on Bahrain Team Pindar a consistent 35 miles behind and both boats were returning the same averages

Derek Hatfield has made about 40 miles since he started again in modest winds at 0100h GMT early this morning on Algimouss Spirit of Canada, after fixing rig and electrical problems. But he has a massive mental task ahead of him, starting five and a half days later than the leaders and some 1270 miles or so behind tPeyron, with light winds expected all the way across Biscay at least.

Swiss skipper Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Pouljoulat) was sailing in light winds also this morning, making about 9 knots with over 1000 miles to catch on the leaders, after re-starting yesterday morning.

Mike Golding stepped back into the top 10 after a solid night on Ecover 3, returning the best averages of his immediate rivals, also making a small gain on the lead boats, while race rookie Jonny Malbon will be a happier man aboard Artemis this morning having taken a place overnight to lie 18th. His next target will is compatriot Steve White on Toe in the Water some 50 miles ahead.