Bruno Peyron (left) and his Orange II maxi-catamaran crew who have been in stand-by mode in Marseilles since Friday, have now switched on the orange lights for their Mediterranean record attempt. This means that the boat could cross the starting line sometime between Thursday and Saturday this week. A first weather window could open this Thursday between 1500 and 2000.

The Mediterranean crossing record between Marseilles and Carthage (Tunisia) is held by Steve Fossett, who established it on May 24, 2002 aboard PlayStation, in 18 hours, 46 minutes and 48 seconds (24,38 knots of average speed).

Chatting about the pending record attempt last night Peyron said: ” We could leave tomorrow, but the wind will be too strong (45-50 knots) and it will blow right in the direction of our route. Thursday, the cold front will show up and give us 20-25 knots of breeze. We should sail really fast for the first two thirds of the course. A little doubt remains as far as the last portion is concerned, since the system does not seem to stay with us until the end. But whatever happens, the conditions that are expected lead us to give it a first shot.”