Sam Manuard leader of the second leg of the Mini Transat has stopped in his tracks just 80 miles from the finish line at El Salvador de Bahia. Race organisers believe he may have broken his mast.

At 0500 (local) time as Manuard was heading for the finish line he suddenly reduced speed and changed course. He is currently (at 1420) 15 miles from the coast doing 1-2kts and is thought to be under jury rig. Race support vessels are on their way to meet Manuard but weather conditions – 30kts of breeze and big seas – are making progress difficult.

Manuard is still leading the race but Armel Tripon in his ageing Finot-Conq 95 design is closing and will possibly have overtaken Manuard in two hours from now and cross the finish line tomorrow afternoon.

There are big also problems for Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty who’s boat Artech-Caen La Mer hit an unidentified floating object and began to sink. Fellow competitor Yves Niort sailing his Pogo 2 Demi-Cle Shiphandler made diversion and managed to rescue Dejeanty and is currently trying to save the boat as well.