Bernard Stamm sailing Bobst Group-Armor Lux has taken the lead of the Calais Round Britain and Ireland race. Stamm who was yesterday fighting it out with Team 888 ex-Kingfisher in the trailing pack in sixth place began to reel in the places yesterday afternoon and overnight slipped into the lead. According to reports from the boat she took a long tack out to the west crossing ahead of Sill and VMI as they headed towards the Bay of Bantry. Stamm commented: “It’s a great surprise. We headed inland and it really paid off. After rounding Bull Rock we had more of a freer wind on two tacks.”

Positions however, at the top of the fleet, are still extremely close with just 1.7 miles between the leading four boats – Bobst Group-Armor Lux, Sill, PRB, VMI as they round the south-western tip of Ireland. Mike Golding’s Ecover who took the lead for a short period yesterday lost out as she headed inshore and is currently lying in fifth place, 10 miles behind the leader. Mike Golding commented from the boat: “We have just tacked to get back with the fleet. We originally headed inshore to find a less built-up sea and benefit from the current a bit more.”