While Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) makes the dive south, dropping from a lead of nearly 20 miles last night to lie third, 47.8 miles behind Josse, Yann Eliès (Generali) – forever Josse’s shadow, gains to second.
Others to gain a place overnight are Jean Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) to fourth, Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) to eighth.
Biggest position change is that of the hard driving Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) who took three places, going from eighth to fifth.
Sometimes the gains are small, the odd mile here and there, but as the leaders ride the fast moving depressions like a big wave surfer seeks the longest ride from a wave, so there are sudden losses and gains as some seek to re-position themselves, taking a short term ‘hit’ – moving across the course in less favoured conditions in search of a more sustained return – more wind for longer, a better wind angle, or a shorter arc to the next waypoint.
And while there are doubtless easy miles and hard miles, for every one there is the backdrop of constant nervous tension and fatigue. A simple error – fouling up on a maneuver, dropping a sail in the water, a temperamental pilot – can mean miles lost.
Comebacks are possible – Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia), 10th, restarted 40 hours after the main fleet had gone and is now just 16 miles adrift of Mike Golding, GBR, (Ecover 3) – and Bernard Stamm, SUI, (Cheminées Poujoulat) has 558 miles to the leader this morning making up nearly 200 miles in three days and lies 15th.
Josse has undoubtedly found the richest vein, making an average of 19.8 knots, 3-4 knots quicker than his nearest rivals on the leaderboard, 2.4 knots faster than Generali over the last two hours, his overnight average only bettered by Jourdain.
But the chasing pack, too, continue to make miles on the leader. Dominique Wavre, SUI, has gained 40 miles since the same time yesterday morning, Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) – who said yesterday he has been hand steering through 4-6 hours of recent days in search of speed – has made 25 miles.
Unai Bazurko, ESP, (Pakea Bizkaia) has averaged 6.5 knots overnight, heading NE seeking to repair his damaged rudder stock