© Photo Richard Konkolski
© Photo Richard Konkolski
At 2200 GMT today, Soldini was 3,416 miles from the finish line and making an average speed of 11.2 knots. Only 47 miles back, Marc Thiercelin was also sailing in double figures doing 10.8 knots and had 3,463 miles to Charleston. Thiercelin was doing a good job. He was able to knock off Giovanni’s lead by over 30 miles that day.
Thiercelin's Somewhere © Photo Marek Slodownik
Leader of Class II, Mike Garside was making a good 8.4 knots but J.P. Mouligne, who was 162 miles back in second position, was a little faster doing 8.7 knots. It seemed that J.P. Mouligne finally overcame some of his troubles. He reported: "As the winds are slowly increasing over the last 24 hours I have been keeping a weary eye on the tack of my mainsail. All night with a flashlight I kept on checking but it seems that nothing has moved and I pray that it will last. Today the plan is to put on a long central patch, which will be the backbone of the repair. If all goes well, tomorrow and the day after I will put 2 more, one on each side and the repair will be complete. Concerning my knee, the improvement is significant."
Wind of Change Russia © Photo Billy Black
In fourth position Viktor Yazykov was moving with speed of 7 knots. His Wind of Change was one of the five trailing Class II boats and the only one to be able to squeak by the trailing edge of the high and escape its grasp. Yazykov was some 329 miles behind Class II leader Garside. Considering the fact that he lost his autopilot and he must steer himself by hand all the time, he was doing very well. In his message he was very glad to be finally able to get into the trade winds.
The rest of the fleet was in much worse shape. That whole day they were hardly doing 2 knots. Only by the end of the day the winds raised, giving them a little better performance but nobody knows for how long. The high-pressure system with its light wind was still expanding over the area.
© Photo Richard Konkolski
| Place | Skipper | Boat | Latitude | Longitude | Dist. to go | Speed | Dist. to first | Time |
| 1 | Soldini | Fila | 04 57S | 035 01W | 3416 | 11.2 | 0 | 2140 |
| 2 | Thiercelin | Somewhere | 05 45S | 034 42W | 34 63 | 10.8 | 47 | 2140 |
| Place | Skipper | Boat | Latitude | Longitude | Dist. to go | Speed | Dist. to first | Time |
| 1 | Garside | Magellan Alpha | 08 43S | 034 18W | 3717 | 8.4 | 0 | 2144 |
| 2 | Mouligne | Cray Valley | 11 34S | 034 40W | 3879 | 8.7 | 161.9 | 2144 |
| 3 | Yazykov | Wind of Change | 13 53S | 036 20W | 4045 | 7 | 328.5 | 2144 |
| 4 | Petersen | No Barriers | 19 07S | 039 05W | 4396 | 6.2 | 679.4 | 2144 |
| 5 | Saito | Shuten-dohji II | 20 16S | 038 04W | 4437 | 5 | 720.4 | 2144 |
| 6 | Hunter | Paladin II | 21 07S | 038 54W | 4501 | 4.7 | 784.2 | 2144 |
| 7 | Van Liew | Balance Bar | 29 17S | 047 39W | 5166 | 5 | 1449.6 | 2144 |
Copyright © Richard Konkolski
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