Yves Blevec on point Marriage took the lead from Corentin Douguet on E Leclerc-Bouygues Telecom yesterday, the situation this morning remains incredibly close at the front of the Transat 6.50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia fleet with just over 60 miles separating the top 10 boats.
In the north-easterly Trade Winds Le Blevec is currently further out to the west with Douguet 34 miles off his transom. But one to watch over the next 24 hours is David Lancry on his 2005 Dejeanty-designed Areas Assurances who's now in third position well out to the east. Over the last few days Lancry has stayed relatively close to the African coast notching up eight places.
During the weekend the fleet has passed through the Cape Verde Islands and British sailor Phil Sharp, who had a poor start to the race by heading out on a flyer west, has continued to make more significant gains and after a week spent clawing his way back through the fleet is now up to a creditable 16th - just over 80 miles behind the leader. Nick Bubb has also picked up a few places over the weekend and he too is in a more respectable 32nd place.
There's been a significant change in the Series fleet too with Peter Laureyssens on Wellments losing his week-long lead to place to Ronan Deshayes in the Super Calin-designed PCO Technologies. With a slight change of course and a drop in speed the French-only official website believed that Laureyssens could have been in difficulties but this morning's rankings show Laureyssens retaining his 15th position, with Deshayes placed slightly further to the east in 12th.
Top 10 positions
1 151 Le Blevec Yves POINT MARIAGE PROTO N120931 W0270338 1678.50 miles to the finish
2 433 Douguet Corentin E. LECLERC / BOUYGUES TELECOM PROTO N124186 W0265296 1712.60 miles to the finish
3 454 Lancry David AREAS ASSURANCES PROTO N114921 W0243786 1714.50 miles to the finish
4 429 Pella Alex OPEN SEA / TEAM WORK. PROTO N123111 W0261590 1714.60 miles to the finish
5 417 Maslard Stanislas CREDIT AGRICOLE SKIPPER CHALLENGE PROTO N115281 W0243998 1716.80 miles to the finish
6 321 Gindre Pierre LINKERS-LUISINA PROTO N115223 W0243775 1717.30 miles to the finish
7 198 Hardy Adrien BROSSARD PROTO N120471 W0245985 1719.10 miles to the finish
8 491 Mergui Mikaël MARCEL FOREVER PROTO N115418 W0243251 1721.30 miles to the finish
9 276 Joschke Isabelle DEGREMONT PROTO N123840 W0261185 1722.80 miles to the finish
10 431 Caracci Andrea SPEEDY BONSAI PROTO N112965 W0230781 1740.20 miles to the finish
Sue Pelling/Yachting World, 17 October 2005
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