Rhythm of the Race Leaders careening across the Southern Ocean at speeds near 20 knots.  Those behind try to acheive the same.

Standings table 

Top 3

1.  Aquitiane Innovations  48:1 South 14 :1 East
2.  PRB Michel Desjoyeaux 47:2 South 12:0 East + 96 miles 
3.  Sill Roland Jourdain 46:5 South 11:2 East +129 miles

A look at the fleet with the top 3 sailing in a line west to east.  The next 3 are in more of a north south orientation.  To the north are the boats slowed by high pressure.

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Fleet round up section 

A breakaway pack of 6 boats has been formed.  They range from 1st place Aquitaine Innovations to 6th place Solidaires 426 miles back.  These boats are sailing through a wind that begins at South West by South for Solidaires and shifts steadily left. Aquitaine is sailing in west by south winds, 9° shy of a straight westerly.

Speeds for this group climb the ladder from 14.9 for Solidaires to 17.6 for 3rd place Sill.  Such a speed is above Parlier's recent record 24 average.  Stay tuned to see if the 24 hour bar is raised.

True wind angles range from 123° to 151°.  Parlier's record was set with wind angles mostly of 150° or greater.  As the boats get farther east speeds could yet pick up as they are freed up to surft with a stout following wind.

The next group including EBP/Gartmore has been slowed by a high pressure.  Gartmore's speed was 10.8.  Fast, but not near enough the lead groups pace.

Skipper Communications  

Mike Golding Group 4 "I always look at the positions and go back 8 days and 4 hours, so by my reckoning I am ahead of Yves now - more good news! It gives me something to work towards. The first boat home in this race will beat Auguin~Rs record but I want to be quicker than that."

Joe Seeten Nord Pas de Calais - Chocolats du monde "My plans in the Southern Ocean? sleeping, reading...and try to keep a good average speed. I am going to live my race as I should do. I am keeping a good balance, I am keeping busy."

Thierry Dubois Solidaires "I passed the point where my boat capsized 4 years ago, I am staying carfeful it can happen any time. I am sailing at the pace I wanted to but I am very impressed by the leaders."

Simone Bianchetti Aquarelle.com "I am trying to cut the whales in two with my rudder. But I am annoyed because they don~Rt have insurance!..."

Roland Jourdain Sill "It~Rs just the beginning, I am trying to find an average good rythm for the coming month. I am observing the boat, working on the sails configuration. In single-handed sailing the idea is to find the best compromise."

Thomas Coville Sobedo "I have no problems with my sails, and to have resolved any problems by myself puts me in a positive state of mind."

Yves Parlier Aquitinae Innovations "I~Rm pushing up the boatspeed without really pushing the boat... It~Rs really cold, due to the wind coming straight from the South. According to the thermometer outside, it~Rs 0° and inside the boat it~Rs 4°. Outside a 4° wind is blasting around me... For myself, I find a chinese soup with boiling water for breakfast does the trick!...I am trying to sail to the maximum but not at an absolute limit, and if I put enough water between me and the rest I might slow the pace a little."

Catherine Chabaud Whirlpool "Yep, you could say I~Rve been caught in the high. I haven~Rt stopped but the winds are shifting around a lot and I haven~Rt found the exit South yet, not for want of trying, believe me."

Current weather conditions For the lead boats south and west winds that are producing top speeds.

Weather Forecast As the boats sail east, a westerly shift should occur.

What does it all mean

A top pack has emerged.  Gains by speed are not as likely as gains via superior reliability.