Mini Transat leaders emerge from unsettled weather to enjoy more conventional speeds 19/10/07

After nearly four days of rising and dissappearing winds, and innumerable storms, the competitors of the Mini Transat (Transat 6,50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia) are returning to steady, conventional speeds as the race leaders begin to emerge from the ‘Pot au noir’.

Yves le Blevec still leads the 80 strong pack, and has been steadily increasing his lead since leaving the ‘Pot’. This morning he finds himself fifty miles ahead of second placed David Sineau (Bretagne lapins). Adrien Hardy (Brossard) obviously had a problem that forced him to u-turn yesterday (see previous story here) . He is now making good progress back towards Bahia, lying in tenth place this morning.

A battle for third place has been emerging over night. Ronan Deshayes (PCO technologies), third, and Nicholas Brennan (Rafiki), forth, are sailing tack to tack – with less than a mile separating the two. Further down the rankings British duo Andrew Wood (Domosofa.com) and David Rawlinson (www.oceanchallenge.com) are fighting their own ‘Battle of the Brits’, placed 26th and 27th respectively. Wood has a four mile lead over Rawlinson, 300 miles behind leader Le Blevec.

Herve Piveteau (Jules-Imprimerie cartoffset) and Spaniard Julia Gerard Marin (C.n. Ilanca) lead in the Series boat fleet. Less than 20 miles separate the two sailors this morning, with Herve in front, in fifteenth position.

Boat positions 07:00 UTC 19 October:

1. Yves le Blevec, Actual, Proto, 908.23
2. David Sineau, Bretagne lapins, Proto, 52.74
3. Ronan Deshayes, Pco technologies, Proto, 84.16
4. Nicholas Brennan, Rafiki, Proto, 84.46
5. Fabien Despres, Soitec, Proto, 142.06
6. Kristian Hajnsek, Adria mobil, Proto, 145.77
7. Yann Riou, Cameleon, Proto, 168.57
8. Francois Salabert, Areas assurances, Proto, 172.94
9. Clayton Burkhalter, Acadia, Proto, 186.27
10. Adrien Hardy, Brossard, Proto, 190.86