THE LEADERS
🇫🇷 Damien Guillou – SOLAREM
Damien remains in front, moving at approximately 6.2 knots with a lead of around 50 nautical miles over Pat. However, lighter winds ahead could slow his progress and give the chasing boats an opportunity to close the gap.
🇮🇪 Pat Lawless – SILVERMINES HYDRO
Pat was making approximately 6.4 knots and benefiting from slightly stronger breeze than Damien. Don expects him to recover perhaps three to five miles on the leader during the day as the wind ahead begins to fade.
THE CHASING GROUP
🇬🇧 Ertan Beskardes – MISS BEAGLE
Ertan holds third place after recording approximately 107 nautical miles of progress in 24 hours and was moving at around 4.9 knots. He is now making good headway, but Andrea is closing behind him.
🇮🇹 Andrea Lodolo – BIBI
Andrea recorded approximately 111 nautical miles and was making around 5.1 knots. An earlier arrival of the breeze helped him gain ground, putting pressure on Ertan ahead.
🇮🇱 Daniel Pinsky – EXODUS
Daniel has pulled clear of Etienne and Guido after recording approximately 77 nautical miles and was moving at around 3.3 knots. Around five miles offshore near Cape Finisterre, he has emerged from a night of demanding coastal navigation with more favourable winds ahead.
🇨🇭 Etienne Messikommer – BERNARD
Etienne recorded approximately 44 nautical miles and was making around 3.8 knots. He and Guido were only half a mile apart, close enough to see each other and provide plenty of motivation for their own race within the race.
🇮🇹 Guido Cantini – HANNAH OF COWES
Guido was moving at approximately 3.9 knots after recording around 42 nautical miles. Sailing almost alongside Etienne, he is matching his pace as both wait for the strengthening breeze to accelerate their progress south.
🇫🇷 Louis Kerdelhué – IE CHARGE
Louis remains in the middle of the fleet after a slow day, recording approximately 36 nautical miles and a tracker speed of around 1.6 knots. Don expects his speed to increase as the returning breeze reaches him.
ESCAPING THE LIGHT WINDS
🇺🇸 Guy deBoer – SPIRIT
Guy endured a deeply frustrating day, recording only approximately 27 nautical miles, but was finally moving at around 4.8 knots. His position farther offshore could now work in his favour, with stronger breeze and a favourable current potentially helping him recover ground.
🇬🇧 Henry Wootton – PRIVATEER
Henry was finally making around 3.7 knots after recording approximately 63 nautical miles. One of Don’s pre-race favourites, he has lost valuable ground in the light winds and will be looking to build momentum as conditions improve.
🇺🇸 Gunnar Christensen – POMPOEN
Gunnar recorded approximately 58 nautical miles and was moving at around 2.2 knots. He remains among the boats struggling to escape the lighter winds, with the stronger breeze taking longer to reach the back of the fleet.
🇳🇴 Helga Marie (Mara) Løvenskiold Kveseth – SHOWGIRL
Mara was making an encouraging 5.9 knots after recording only around 35 nautical miles of progress over the previous 24 hours. She has found a stronger band of wind than some nearby boats and is finally moving well again.
🇺🇸 Matt Woodside – TIPI HAERE
Matt was still struggling in lighter breeze, with the tracker showing approximately 1.4 knots. His daily message arrived during the broadcast after the team had noted a gap in his check-ins.
🇨🇦 Isa Rosli – OLLEANNA
Isa remained almost stationary at approximately 0.5 knot in the 08:00 UTC update. Like Matt, he was sitting in a weaker patch of wind while boats farther north were already beginning to accelerate.
AT THE BACK OF THE FLEET
🇹🇷 Selim Yalçın – HELP DISABLED CHILDREN
Selim’s course was taking him farther north than Don expected despite a northerly breeze. The reason was unclear during the report, and Don planned to check his messages for an explanation.
🇸🇪 Pär Nyman – LAZY OTTER
Pär was making approximately 4 knots into a light headwind as he continued his delayed start to the race. Conditions remain challenging, but he is moving and beginning the long pursuit of the fleet ahead.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The returning wind could bring another reshuffle, initially helping the chasing group close on Damien and Pat before potentially giving the leaders another opportunity to escape.
Don predicts that:
- The middle fleet could encounter winds of approximately 25–28 knots, with stronger gusts, bringing much faster progress and possible sail reductions.
- Damien and Pat could slow in lighter winds, allowing the chasing boats to recover some ground.
- Boats staying too close to the coast risk losing the breeze, while an offshore route could reward Guy.
- By tomorrow afternoon, Damien and Pat may reach a fresh band of wind flowing out of the Mediterranean, potentially extending their lead again.
- The back of the fleet should accelerate as the breeze arrives, but further light winds could interrupt that recovery.
Don’s latest estimate puts the first arrival at the Lanzarote film-drop gate late on 15 September, with Pat potentially passing through on 16 September.
There is no compulsory stop at Lanzarote: skippers slow down for 20 minutes to hand over their films, letters and recordings and speak to the team before continuing their race south.
Daily Report Archive Skipper tweets from 11/09/2026
