Bernard Stamm in head continues extending differences. The attention concentrates in the fight between Mike Golding (Ecover), and Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss).

 
According to the last position report, the advantage of Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) is placed in approximately 900 miles on the classified second, Mike Golding (Ecover), whereas the third party, Kojiro Shiraishi (Spirit of Yukoh), is 930 miles of the leader. Decidedly put in the Austral Ocean, the Swiss landlord divides equally of rigorous way speeds of 13 and 14 knots that very locate over his immediate pursuers to him, situation that it places to him in a clearly advantageous situation at the time of confronting the frightful Austral Ocean course to Fremantle (Australia).

However, the frustration that during the last days has experienced as much Mike Golding as Kojiro Shiraishi, that attended impotent the drastic slowing down of their march - and, of step, to the extension of its differences with respect to the leader because of a front of high pressures, to a great extent seems to have sent. Indeed, although they continue under the effects of the anticyclone, at the moment both landlords sail to an average from around 10 knots and with one more a direction more direct course of Australia, as Shiraishi recognized yesterday: “To the aim we can sail course to Australia. Although the wind is not very strong, at least allows to draw up one more a more direct trajectory us towards Fremantle”.

In the same sense they directed the declarations of Mike Golding, contacted by telephone this morning: “After horrible days, we have returned to sail with speeds of two numbers. I am beginning to take the rate again, which is the good news”.
 
, Perfect nevertheless dominating of all the elements of the competition at every moment, Golding already put its glance in which, according to him, it is now his new preoccupation, once Stamm has put I disturb and it has escaped in head: “Although we advanced more express, I am going to try to maintain the distances with Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss), that comes behind very fast. In addition, in next the three days, he will count on more favorable conditions”.
 
It is indeed the duel between Golding and Thomson, two authentic giants of oceanic navigation, to more competitive which, the one than centers the glances at the moment. Because, leaving a side to Shiraishi, something slower, at this moment to continue the present progression of both landlords, separated by approximately 150 miles, in the next days a terrible battle could be registered both enters British landlords by the second place. “It is not possible to be spoken of match RACE, because still they separate many miles to us, but is certain that Alex will have better wind and better angle to the beacon (a located buoy 600 miles to the south of Cape Town and the north of which they must pass the landlords to avoid collisions with icebergs) in the next days. We will already see how the events are developed, but are going to be very even”.

If the panorama appears exciting in the front part of the fleet, the three landlords that also close the group in the heat of battle find to trim differences and to scale positions. Special mention deserves a Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (Insurance Saga) that, after passing numerous shortages to make advance his boat in the doldrums, it managed to cross the line that separates both hemispheres yesterday around the midnight. “Finally I have managed to cross Ecuador! ”, this morning in telephone conversation exclaimed jubilant Sir Robin. However, it affirmed to still be under the dominion of the doldrums and not to have reached the trade longed for ones of the South Atlantic.
 
“I am well, I am resting correctly. The problem has been the enormous frustration that produces not to be able to escape of the doldrums. He is really exasperating not to be able to make advance the boat”, commented a Sir Robin that recognized that as much he as other landlords have had very bad luck in this beginning of competition. “I hope that the trade winds can help me to sail more express from now on”, the legendary British landlord concluded optimist.
 
On the other hand, Graham Dalton (To Southern Man - AGD) and Unai Basurko (Pakea) follow bottled in their particular fight by the sixth position. Separated by hardly 42 miles, New Zealand and the Spanish is 2753 and 2795 miles of the leader, respectively.