Bruno Peyron and team covered 300 miles in 12 hours and are hoping to make another 300 in the next 12 hours. Orange II passed the Portuguese archipelago early this morning and is currently setting a fantastic pace in 30kts of south-south-westerly winds. Unfortunately she is 15 degrees too far east and will have to gybe within the next few hours to establish a more favourable course direct to the finish line. The current ETA across the Ushant finish line is between Tuesday evening on 15 March and early morning on Wednesday 16 March – the 50th day at sea.

Bruno Peyron, said this morning: “The first part of the night was starry with the sky gradually clouding over and with a barometer continuing to drop. The depression system is settling into position. We’ll keep it up to the finish, even though there’s still a doubt as to whether it really touches Brittany. We have 30 knots of south-westerly and we have all the sail area up, with one reef in the mainsail. We’re currently trying to decide if we should pass to the small gennaker. We’re making a constant 32-33 knots and it’s at this speed that we begin to ask ourselves this type of question.

“The sea is ok, even though it was crossed at times when we climbed up to the archipelago’s plateau. We are having to get used to this pace again, get back into the rhythm, try to get re-accustomed to sleeping in these conditions. We are less than 100 miles from Faïal and we’re going to take a left in a few hours to round the archipelago. We’re going to make the move before the wind backs, which will set us in good stead for the rest of the voyage. We should finish on Tuesday, during the second part of the night. We’re not going to take any unnecessary risks for nothing.”