Loick Peyron (Gitana Eighty) made his move last night (17 November) to gybe back to the west and cover any further gains from the leading trio Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2), Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) and Vincent Riou (PRB).

One year ago, racing two handed with Jean-Baptiste Levailant in the Transat Jacques Vabre, Gitana Eighty erred too far east, hemorrhaging miles and finishing a disappointing ninth. But this morning Loïck Peyron emerged with a lead of 6.7 miles ahead of Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) as the leading group line up for the Doldrums. Le Cam gybed and is now making a more westerly course – about 75 miles east of Peyron.

Speeds have dropped right down now with ENE’ly winds struggling to top 10 knots. However, this has not stopped Mike Golding’s advances (Ecover 3). Mike has seen his ‘Distance to Leader’ drop from 106 miles to 54 behind Gitana Eighty.

Brian Thompson has also succeeded in shrinking his margin from over 260 miles two days ago to to 158.6 miles.

Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) – who had to restart – continues to reel back miles on the race leaders, making the best speed average in the fleet. From a maximum distance from the fleet leaders of 671.3 miles, Desjoyeaux has climbed to 527.7 miles behind this morning – in nineteenth place.

Click here for a full list of boat positions.