The haemorrhaging of Groupama’s lead over the current record is beginning to subside, with only 120 miles lost over the past 24 hours. The Giant trimaran has conceded over 300 miles of her lead over the current Jules Verne record in the past two days. Franck Cammas and his men hope to be able to take a more SE’ly course soon, which they hope will allow them to make up some of their lost lead.

A zone of high pressure, which has slipped under the African continent is in the process of calming the seas generated by a very large low, which passed to the South of Prince Edward Island yesterday. The nasty S’ly swell, which was kicking up waves abeam of the giant trimaran, is decreasing in size all the time and the crew will find conditions more manageable and the sailing more pleasant. However, in return for the calming seas, the 20-25 S’ly breeze is beginning to ease as it backs to the SE, which will force Groupama 3 to sail upwind for a few hours.

The weekend will hopefully enable the crew to get back onto the record pace again as a new low will generate SW’ly breezes. On a SE’ly heading, Groupama 3 will be able to pick up her skirts and make an average of nearly thirty knots over a messy but manageable sea.