Vendée Globe

730 miles west of the Kerguelen Islands the top ten remain very much in formation as Sebastien Josse’s position in the north of the leading pack has given him an advance of about 8.8 miles overnight to present a serious challenge to leader Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2).

Josse is the furthest east and was about 47 miles to the north of Dick’s position in the small hours of the morning, while Josse – along with Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia), Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) and Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) – have all been quick at different points through the night.

In general now the chasing group – Le Cam, Riou – who are some 90-100 miles behind the leaders, are now seeing another five knots of breeze than the leaders.

The equation to be challenged for the leaders is that of better breeze for the moment in the north, as against a better angle in the south later. Josse has been making more than three knots faster than Dick.

Mike Golding, GBR, (Ecover 3) is heading south again, looking set to cross the trail of third placed Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) who is 21.9 miles behind the fleet leader Paprec-Virbac. Golding remains in fifth, but has drawn up to 50.1 miles off the lead, while the ever present threat of Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) in seventh sees the 2001 winner just seven miles behind, still with time enough to wax lyrical in his nocturnal reports.

Tenth placed Yann Eliès’ special sanglier (wild boar stew with corn and red wine) may have been the perfect mental pick-me-up yesterday, but more likely he is placed in the north and west he is finally reaping a reward again for his position as the new system moves with him. Eliès was quickest this morning making 18.4 knots.

Arnaud Boissières quipped overnight about having two British girls on his hands as they are the next challenges on the leaderboard, but Dee Caffari (AVIVA) has been resolutely repelling the French skipper’s advances and holds an 18.7 miles advantage while Sam Davies (Roxy) is more than 185 miles ahead. Davies has been ‘hooning’ south polling some quick speeds on the double Vendée Globe champion boat.  Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) has stayed north of Sam so far, while Bernard Stamm, SUI, (Cheminées Poujoulat) has plunged furthest south and is already at 49.37 S and making more than 15 knots.

14^th placed Stamm, 534 miles behind Dick,  will have in his mind that at the same point last race Mike Golding was more than 700 miles behind but still went on to lead the race twice and finished third.

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