Building the lead
Simon is now at the end of the exclusion zone and will have more weather options on his way to Hobart, 2000 miles away. He has not been idle along the 44th parallel, with 160nm this morning, and a lead above 800 miles over Kirsten, breaking his personal best this Saturday with 174.4 miles in 24 hours. No one in the fleet has gained on him this past week.
Behind him, Kirsten and Abhilash had their wings clipped this weekend as a high pressure system came over them, but the beginning of the week promises to be windier. All good for Captain Gugg – 134 miles this morning – and Jeremy, who broke his personal best this Saturday for the second time in a week with 165 miles. A superb performance for the smallest boat in the fleet.
Ian, 6th, is doing well sailing down south-east with speed despite the lack of wind on Sunday. 220 miles behind him, Elliott struggled to find his bearings and speed, and made little progress this weekend, getting caught by Robin Knox Johnson’s Suhaili.
In the Atlantic, Guy Waites found steady and strong downwind conditions towards Cape Town and is now 550 miles from the Granger Bay gate. North of him, Arnaud, heading towards St Helena, is finally enjoying downwind conditions for the week.
