Franck Cammas’ Groupama has taken the lead in theTransat Québec-Saint Malo in the 60ft multihull class. Cammas broke through Karine Fauconnier in Sergio Tacchini earlier this morning and Geant has also now pulled through into second place just 0.20nm behind Groupama. Yves Parlier, who led the fleet off the startline on Sunday is suffering with lack of speed and now trails the fleet by nearly 200 miles.

Further down the fleet in sixth place, just six miles from the leader is Stève Ravussin’s Banque Covefi. The team had speed problems in the light airs but overnight managed to gain a couple of places once the wind filled in. Speaking from the boat last night Ravussin commented: “We have had some slight worries with speed during the descent of the Saint-Laurent with the wind aft. We got a bit stuck? But we’re lying in wait and the wind is gradually filling in from the front. We’re hanging on inside and it’s worth remembering that this is just the start of a transatlantic!”

Overnight Franck-Yves Escoffier and team aboard Crêpes Whaou! in the 50ft multihull fleet holds a 12nm lead over Pascal Quintin aboard Jean Stalavan. Kevin Escoffier (Franck-Yves’s son) chatted from the boat this morning: “The wind has filled in up front and I think the rest of the fleet were becalmed as they passed the Matane mark in the Saint-Laurent. We’re currently making small tack under a light genoa in 6 knots of wind so as to round the marks onshore. We’re then expecting a rotation in the wind that should fill in from the front with 20 knots of wind? This should enable us to stretch out our lead but it’s not over yet!”

Georges Leblanc’s Ciment St-Laurent has, over the last few hours, snatched the lead in the monohull fleet from Luc Coquelin’s Marina Fort Louis-Ile de Saint Martin.

Positions at 13/07/2004 09h00 GMT

Multihull 60s

1 Groupama 0.00

2 Géant 0.20 miles from leader

3 Sergio Tacchini 4.50 miles from leader

4 Tim Progetto Italia 5.30 miles from leader

5 Foncia 5.60 miles from leader

6 Banque Covefi 5.90 miles from leader

7 Banque Populaire 14.40 miles from leader

8 Sodebo 21.80 miles from leader

9 Gitana XI 22.50 miles from leader

10 Gitana X 50.30 miles from leader

11 Sopra Group 181.90v 12 Médiatis-Région Aquitaine 198.80 miles from leader

Multihulls 50s

1 Crêpes Whaou! 0.00

2 Jean Stalaven 12.90 miles from leader

3 Nootka 13.30 miles from leader

4 GIFI 68.00 miles from leader

Monohull 50s

1 Ciment St-Laurent 0.00

2 Marina Fort Louis Ile de Saint 6.50 miles from leader

3 Branec III 7.50 miles from leader