Orange II has hit a massive ridge of high pressure on her climb back up the North Atlantic. Boat speed dropped off to 11-12kts this morning and Bruno Peyron and crew have no choice other than stick it out for the next few days. This, of course, will result in Team Orange II losing three of its nine-day lead but once through the light patch they’ll be able to concentrate on their strategy for the final sprint to the finish line.

Peyron commenting this morning said: “It’s gradually easing off, the wind is very light. We are preparing to spend four to five special days. The situation has not developed. We’re going to have to cross through the 200-mile thick ridge of high pressure. We have no choice. It’s all very complicated as the anticyclone is installing itself behind and will pass over our heads from left to right. As a result we will be going very slowly for four days.

“We should make 1,000 miles during the four days (instead of a normal two days), which isn’t going to be much fun. This will be the slowest part of our round the world. Normally, the anticyclone is in position (level with the Azores) and we can round to the left of it with the trade winds below, but the whole system has been destroyed by a depression now passing across it. It remains complicated behind as the transition with the depression is not very reliable either. It could be worse. We’ve known for some time that this was going to be difficult. We’ve been preparing for it and we’re doing what we have to do.”