The South Atlantic High Pressure system has taken control of the leading part of the fleet resulting is slow speeds and directions that are not the way people want to go.
Luck plays its part in these conditions and it is a real test of patience trying to eke out just a fraction more speeds from what little puffs arrive. This fleet is already running 4 days behind the previous race and the centre of the High does not show any sign of moving for the next few days. Alex is still in 8th position, making over 8 nots, but his speed in the direction he would like to go, his VMG, is just 0.5 knots.
Still, he is moving. The leading boat, Chaie Dalin’s Apivia , is 628 miles ahead and 70 miles ahead of second placed Linked out, but Alex’s immediate target is Arkea Paprec, 66 miles closer to the next Waypoint. Sam Davis is further south than Alex now but because she is further west she is 40 miles further from the next Waypoint than him. She has just eased into 9th position.
Providing Apivia continues southwards, it will be the first boat to pick up the Westerlies and get back up to full speed and increase its lead over the rest of the fleet. There is always pressure on the leader, but a large cushion is comforting!