Damien Guillou has crossed the equator and is settling onto a direct course towards Trindade, with Pat Lawless approximately 170 miles behind. The leaders continue pulling away while calms disrupt the chasing fleet. Race management is also seeking confirmation of Louis Kerdelhué’s wellbeing after missing daily safety messages, with nearby Gunnar Christensen potentially able to make a visual check.
THE LEADERS
🇫🇷 Damien Guillou
Damien is now south of the equator and heading more directly towards Trindade, following a route close to 30° west. A more easterly wind is allowing him to maintain speed while making better progress towards the turning mark. Don measured his advantage over a representative position in the main fleet at approximately 835 miles.
🇮🇪 Pat Lawless
Pat is making 5.6 knots, with 130 miles of daily progress, approximately 170 miles behind Damien. His wind remains more east-southeasterly, encouraging a slightly wider course to maintain speed. The leading pair are increasingly racing each other, with Pat also holding a substantial advantage over the main fleet.
THE CHASING PACK
🇨🇭 Étienne Messikommer
Étienne has slowed to 1.2 knots, with 41 miles of daily progress, after reaching the edge of the calm zone and stopping short of the breeze beyond. He had been moving well during his sunset broadcast, but had spent at least eight hours in very light conditions by the update. Despite the setback, Don believes his position could allow him to reach the southeast trades before several nearby rivals.
🇬🇧 Ertan Beskardes
Ertan is still moving at 4.7 knots, defying the previous forecast that suggested his eastern route would leave him becalmed. The latest outlook shows a possible corridor of wind on his side of the fleet, offering a chance to keep progressing while others struggle further west.
🇮🇹 Guido Cantini
Guido is caught in the light-wind zone at 1.3 knots, following 68 miles of daily progress. Like Étienne, he is close to the transition into better conditions, but the expanding calm band could make the next stage slow and uncertain.
🇮🇹 Andrea Lodolo
Andrea is making 3.8 knots, with 86 miles of daily progress, as he approaches a developing ridge of very light winds. His western move has kept him progressing, but the latest forecast suggests he may still slow sharply while trying to cross the widening barrier ahead.
🇮🇱 Daniel Pinsky
Daniel is moving at 5.1 knots, considerably faster than nearby Henry. Don suggested that a cloud system might be generating local breeze around Daniel, although this remained an interpretation of the weather display. The forecast offers him a possible route around the worst of the calms if he can retain enough wind.
THROUGH THE FLEET
🇬🇧 Henry Wootton
Henry has slowed to 2.2 knots, with 80 miles of daily progress. He appears to be sailing more across the course to maintain enough apparent wind for steerage and forward movement. His contrast with Daniel highlights how different conditions can be over relatively short distances.
🇳🇴 Mara
Mara is making 3.7 knots, with 45 miles of daily progress, but has lost ground in lighter winds than those enjoyed by the boats behind. Her latest broadcasts have been relaxed and informative, including sextant observations from the cockpit. The forecast suggests returning breeze could help her close on the group ahead.
🇫🇷 Louis Kerdelhué
Louis was moving at around 3 knots, with repeated course changes whose cause remained unclear. Race management’s concern over missing daily safety messages eased after recognising that he had spoken with Georgie on 28 September, but a fresh confirmation was still needed. Don stressed that no incident had been declared and that the team believed Louis was likely well while continuing efforts to contact him.
🇨🇦 Isa Rosli
Isa is progressing at 4.5 knots, with 113 miles of daily progress. More reliable breeze is helping him advance while several boats further ahead remain slowed by the calms, creating an opportunity to reduce the gap.
🇬🇧 Gunnar Christensen
Gunnar recorded 111 miles of daily progress and was making approximately 3.8 knots, bringing him within about five miles of Louis during the tracker review. Race management was considering asking him to alter course for a visual check, but no diversion had been confirmed. Don said any assistance of this kind would be compensated with a time allowance.
🇺🇸 Matt Woodside
Matt is enjoying a stronger spell at 5.1 knots, with 114 miles of daily progress. Alongside Isa and Gunnar, he is benefiting from better wind behind the main group and could continue closing as the boats ahead negotiate the calm zone.
🇸🇪 Pär Nyman
Pär continues his recovery at 5.5 knots, with 129 miles of daily progress, as he approaches the Cape Verde islands. His track differed from the landfall Don had anticipated, and his intended passage remained unclear. The forecast nevertheless looks favourable for continued progress from the rear of the fleet.
IN PORT
🇺🇸 Guy deBoer
Repairs aboard SPIRIT are reportedly progressing well, with Guy still aiming to leave over the 3–4 October weekend. Don considered Monday 5 October more likely, but no firm departure date was confirmed. He also clarified that the Hobart deadline is the end of January, rather than December, and believes Guy still has time to reach it if the repaired boat performs reliably.
WEATHER OUTLOOK
A widening calm band continues to divide the chasing fleet, but the latest forecast offers different opportunities on either side. Ertan’s eastern position now looks more promising than it did a day earlier, while Étienne may be close enough to the southern edge to reach the next breeze.
Andrea, Guido and parts of the western group face a difficult crossing, although Daniel may find enough wind to work around the weakest areas. Behind them, strengthening northeast trades should keep Pär and the rear group moving, with Mara also expected to regain breeze.
Don emphasised that the Doldrums remain difficult to forecast, with substantial differences possible over just 20 miles. Conditions shown on the weather map do not necessarily reflect what each skipper is experiencing.
DAILY SAFETY CHECKS
Louis’s missing messages prompted Don to explain the race’s layered communication procedures. Daily safety check-ins remain compulsory, including for skippers appearing on Window Live, while designated radio partners and coded HF reports provide additional backup.
The team had asked other entrants whether they had heard from Louis and planned to review their replies before deciding whether Gunnar should approach him. The aim was to confirm his wellbeing while following the established safety procedure.
Daily Report Archive Skipper tweets from 01/10/2026
