As expected the Retour à La Base fleet leaders are still making northwards, passing through the anticyclone and getting set to hook into a chain of north Atlantic depressions over the next few days. They will turn right and head east trying to ride the low pressures as fast as they can do so safely.

“A first depression (L3) will bring strong winds, the majority of skippers should stay to its south,” explained Christian Dumard, meteorologist for the race this morning.

Now it really is up to each of the solo racers how they want to use the powerful winds of these systems, but most will set a wind limit and a wave height limit and stick to it.

“There is a storm front passing tomorrow at the end of the day and most will want to stay ahead of it,” explained Dumard.

Conditions which should be conducive to high speeds. “Between Monday morning and Tuesday, there can be some very nice runs,” highlights the weather specialist. The records for solo miles traveled solo in 24 hours are held by Alex Thomson in 2017 and 2018, 536.8 in the 2016-17 Vendée Globe and then 539.71 on a delivery back from from New York to Gosport.

And then hard on its heels will be two more depressions the second at the end of the week will mostly affect the midfleet foilers and the daggerboard boats, producing strong winds and big seas. 

“The leading boats will have passed it but for those behind, it will perhaps be tough,” analyzes Dumard.  But right now it is maximum speed for the leaders…..