Mike Golding and his four-man team aboard Ecover are currently leading the Open 60 fleet in the SNSM – a 284-mile race around the coast of Brittany from St Nazaire to St Malo – which started yesterday.

Other contenders racing for the Open 60 record include Marc Guillemot (Safran), Roland Jourdain (Sill et Véolia), Anne Liardet (Roxy) and Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat).

Golding and team (Laurent Mahy, Graham Tourell, Nigel King, Patrice Carpentier) are currently sailing a northerly route, neck and neck with Jourdain and his Sill et Veolia team tracking 11-12 kts of boat speed. They are also 19 hours ahead of the 1 day 10 hours and 58 minute record.

To beat the Open 60 SNSM record Ecover must cross the finish line before 23h36 local time tonight (22h36 UK time).