The young French sailor Hardy Adrien sailing his Magnen design Brossard has taken the lead of the Transat 6,50 Charante-Maritime/Bahia (Mini Transat).

Hardy, who finished fifth in the previous edition of the race in 2005, is starting to show his true colours again and with some smart, tactical sailing down the Moroccan coast over the last 24 hours has moved from 12th position last night into the lead. He currently holds a 10-mile lead over Yann Riou on Cameleon having taken the ‘inshore’ route through the Canary Islands.

Previous leg winner Isabelle Joschke has also made significant gains overnight and is now in third slot, just 12 miles off Hardy. Yves Le Blevec on Actual who was leading the race yesterday is now in fourth right on the tail of Joschke, heading straight down the rhumb line.

Australian competitor Nick Brennan on Rafiki is holding his position at the top in 11th place on the inshore route but those further offshore look as though they are beginning to gain slightly in the more favourable Trade Wind conditions which are reaching 20kts on the direct route south. British sailor David Rawlinson is also holding a respectable position – 22nd – while Andrew Wood on Domosofa.com seems to be struggling in 39th in the middle of the fleet and has lost 15 places overnight.

Emmanuel Laurent on the Super Calin Series design – Domaine des Thomeaux – dismasted yesterday afternoon off the Canaries Archipelago. Apparently he was reaching in a 25kt gusty breeze when the mast snapped just above the first spreader.

Fortunately all is OK on board and Laurent has carried out a makeshift repair that will enable him to reach Palma unassited. He is currently 25 nautical miles away from the island.

Elsewhere in the fleet Raoul Cospen on Dalet Digital Media Systems reported broken halyard, and although he managed to fixed it he now has trouble with his pilot and is unsure at this stage whether he will continue. Sophie Gueroult (Felibre) and Nacho Orti (Medi-Valencia) also indicate pilot problems. Orti says he plans to head to Palma to
Get it fixed.

Stephane le Diraison aboard Cultisol – Institut Curie currently in 27th place, reports problems with his VHF, and Sebastien Marsset (Mar ee Haute) says he has now fixed his broken a spinnaker brace.

Ronan Deshayes on Pco Technologies had to head back to Gran Canaria with a torn medium spinnaker but he’s now up and running again in a respectable 18th position.