THE LEADERS
🇫🇷 Damien Guillou – SOLAREM
Damien was approximately 20 nautical miles from the Lanzarote film gate at the time of the report, with his arrival expected at around midday. Light patches reduced his daily run to 116 nautical miles, and his final approach down the western side of the island has been slower than the tracker’s weather display suggests.
🇮🇪 Pat Lawless – SILVERMINES HYDRO
Pat was making approximately 5.2 knots, having covered 119 nautical miles in 24 hours. He has been holding better breeze than Damien and is expected to reach the film gate roughly ten hours behind him, potentially around midnight.
THE CHASING PACK
🇮🇹 Andrea Lodolo – BIBI
Andrea has accelerated to approximately 7 knots after a slower day that produced 133 nautical miles. His stronger pace should help him make good progress towards Lanzarote as the following wind extends south.
🇬🇧 Ertan Beskardes – MISS BEAGLE
Ertan was making 6.8 knots after covering 136 nautical miles in 24 hours. He is among the tightly grouped chasing boats expected around 18 September and has also been keeping viewers entertained with lengthy conversations on the GGR Window.
🇨🇭 Etienne Messikommer – BERNARD
Etienne recorded 142 nautical miles in 24 hours and was sailing at approximately 6.8 knots. With stronger wind now reaching him, he is picking up speed for the run towards the film gate.
🇮🇹 Guido Cantini – HANNAH OF COWES
Guido posted the strongest daily run mentioned in the report, covering 163 nautical miles. Sailing at approximately 6.8 knots, he is showing excellent pace and remains one to watch within the chasing pack.
🇺🇸 Guy deBoer – SPIRIT
Guy covered 154 nautical miles in 24 hours and was making approximately 6.9 knots. His approach to the Canaries carries particular significance after his grounding on Fuerteventura ended his 2022 race; getting safely south of that point will be an important milestone.
🇮🇱 Daniel Pinsky – EXODUS
Daniel continues to make steady progress, recording 154 nautical miles in 24 hours at approximately 6.7 knots. He remains closely matched with the surrounding boats as the chasing pack approaches Lanzarote.
🇫🇷 Louis Kerdelhué – IE CHARGE
Louis was sailing at approximately 6.9 knots, with 155 nautical miles covered over the previous day. He is putting his considerable energy into keeping the boat moving quickly in the favourable following breeze.
THE MIDDLE GROUP
🇬🇧 Henry Wootton – PRIVATEER
Henry was one of the fastest in the fleet at approximately 7.4 knots, recording 162 nautical miles in 24 hours. In his latest safety call, he spoke candidly about the emotional difficulty of the opening days after years of preparation.
🇳🇴 Helga Marie (Mara) Løvenskiold Kveseth – SHOWGIRL
Mara recorded 150 nautical miles in 24 hours and was making approximately 6.7 knots. The strengthening following wind is giving her good progress towards an anticipated arrival around 19 September.
🇨🇦 Isa Rosli – OLLEANNA
Isa is positioned farther offshore and was making approximately 6.6 knots, having covered 154 nautical miles in 24 hours. He is enjoying the same favourable airflow carrying this group south towards Lanzarote.
🇺🇸 Gunnar Christensen – POMPOEN
Gunnar covered 136 nautical miles in 24 hours and was sailing at approximately 6 knots. With the breeze expected to hold over the next couple of days, he should continue making steady progress towards the film gate.
🇺🇸 Matt Woodside – TIPI HAERE
Matt was making approximately 6.6 knots after a 149-nautical-mile day. The stronger following wind is suiting his Cape George 36 and helping him maintain a good pace towards Lanzarote.
AT THE BACK OF THE FLEET
🇹🇷 Selim Yalçın – HELP DISABLED CHILDREN
Selim covered 119 nautical miles in 24 hours and was making approximately 5.5 knots in strong northerly winds. He has good sailing conditions for now, but a forecast collapse in the breeze from 20 September could leave him facing a prolonged, slow approach to Lanzarote.
🇸🇪 Pär Nyman – LAZY OTTER
Pär recorded 150 nautical miles in 24 hours and was making approximately 6.6 knots, putting him on course to catch and pass Selim again. GGR Window viewers saw him thoroughly enjoying winds above 30 knots, sailing under staysail and a deeply reefed mainsail, although he also faces the approaching lull.
WEATHER AND THE APPROACH TO LANZAROTE
Strong northerly winds should keep most of the fleet moving quickly over the next 48 hours, with seven chasing boats expected around 18 September and another five around 19 September.
The concern comes from 20 September, when the forecast shows the wind fading across the approach to the Canaries for four or five days. Selim and Pär could still be approximately 150–170 nautical miles away, potentially making only around 30 nautical miles a day while the boats farther south continue pulling away. Their arrival dates remain uncertain and could slip to 23–24 September or later.
Daily Report Archive Skipper tweets from 16/09/2026
