As the fleet spreads the rankings reflect less and less the true state of play on the water. It is inevitable given the different routes being taken and the fact that the entire fleet is well to the west of the direct route. Sailing away from the rhumb line is especially expensive, and conversely being closer to it is artificially rewarded.
The westerly course of Michel Desjoyeaux and François Gabart continues to be generally quick, gybing downwind in a band of wind pressure. As they go in towards the coast on starboard gybe they are running into better and better pressure, but sailing further away from the direct course, and conversely as they come back out on the other gybe they will slow but make miles.
The net result is they are still diverging from the course to the waypoint and although they are sailing quickly, they are still computed to be losing miles, hence the reason they are now ninth. Only when they arc back towards the waypoint will their gains magnify, hopefully for them in a greater proportion.
The slow up for Estrella Damm continues, making less than 7 knots which has allowed Groupe Bel to catch up to 108 miles, making around 30 miles since last night.
And it looks especially tough for Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez on MAPFRE. Having bailed out of a westerly position yesterday morning, they may find themselves strategically between the devil and the deep blue sea. The weather models suggest they will have to deal with a much wider band of light, unsettled winds than Estrella Damm to their east.
And already MAPFRE have slipped behind Mirabaud. Dominique Wavre and Michèle Paret have been sailing a beautifully consistent, gentle arc of a course, as in fact have Neutrogena, and the Swiss-French couple find themselves back up into third place they held when they exited in the Mediterranean.
Dee Caffari and Anna Corbella also continue to gain from their easterly position relative to the boats they are pursuing, now computed to be just five miles behind Ryan Breymaier and Boris Herrmann on Neutrogena.
Estrella Damm have about 260 miles or 30 hours of blood, sweat and tears to break through the most complex weather situation and will surely lose miles in the light, very confused going, before breaking into the ESE’ly winds associated more settled, developing high pressure system.
From barcelona World Race
