Yves Le Blevec onActualhas retaken the lead on the second leg of the Transat 6,50 Charante-Maritime/Bahia (Mini Transat) which started from Funchal, Madeira on Saturday.

Le Blevec snatched the lead from yesterday’s race leader Adrien Hardy onBrossardovernight and is now pulling away with an 11-mile lead. The leaders are enjoying fantastic conditions with winds in the 20kt range and now about 350 miles from the Cape Verde Islands. David Sineau onBretagne Lapinsremains consistently at the top in third.

One of the most impressive displays of tactical sailing over the last couple comes from Australian sailor Nick Brennan on 419RafikiBrennan who’s gradually been creeping up the fleet and is now lying fifth.Rafikiis an ‘old’ generation Prototype previously owned by British sailor Phil Sharp who himself finished a creditable fourth overall in the last edition of the race two years ago.

Brennan is currently further east of the rhumb line east but is currently making better speed on race leader Le Blevec who’s on the more direct course.

Elsewhere in the fleet there been an impressive comeback from Spanish Alex Pella (Generalitat Valenciana) who, having discovered a crack at the foot of his mast just after the start, repaired it and set off again and is now lying 21st. Also Slovenian competitor Andraz Mihelin (Adria Mobil Too) who was holed at the start and had to return to shore for repairs is now lying 20th.

The race office reports that Sébastien Gladu (Clichy sous bois, Clichy sur l’eau) is sailing to Santa Cruz de La Palma to repair his broken starboard rudder-head.
David Rawlinson continues to lead the British team in 28th while Andrew Wood ondomosofa.comis now in 39th.