It’s been a busy morning for the leaders on the west of the course, who’ve had to put in several tacks to contend with the shifting breezes of the high pressure zone.

Sébastien Josse, who was able to keep heading south-west and hence was last to tack of this westerly bunch, has since jinked east, then back onto a southerly course to take the lead back from Loick Peyron. Just 3.5 miles currently separate BT and Gitana 80.

Behind these two Armel Le ’Cleac’h is back in third at this morning’s 1000hrs (GMT) rankings, heading on a similar south-south-westerly track to the main group of Roland Jourdain and Vincent Riou. Fourth-placed Jean Le Cam in the east is continuing on a more easterly course. Mike Golding (GBR, Ecover, 9th) and Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2, 8th), who were first to tack, are now converging with the rest of the pack, and all nine are within 40 miles of each other.

The front-runners can expect more shifty squalls for the rest of the day, with the wind likely to back to the north-east later tonight as they head further towards the centre of the high pressure zone. Meanwhile behind them the hunting pack are continuing to crunch through the  miles, with Brian Thompson (GBR) now 50 miles closer to the leader than he was yesterday, and both Michel Desjoueaux and Dee Caffari (GBR) taking a further 70 miles out of first place in 24-hours.