All to the front

 The 35 solo sailors got down to business at the end of the second day of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. Since mid-afternoon, they have all reached the limit of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), forced to tack to avoid entering it. They are now heading west-southwest, in challenging conditions of around 30 knots and seas exceeding two meters in height.

The fleet is currently sailing in a fairly tight group in the front. Alexis Thomas (Wings for the Ocean) is now leading the fleet. Loïs Berrehar (Banque Populaire), Nicolas Lunven (PRB), Tom Dolan (Kingspan), and Arno Biston (Article.1) are less than a mile behind the leader. Laure Galley, on her boat Hauterive, is currently sixth, just ahead of Paul Cousin on Région Normandie.

Meanwhile, Tom Goron on Xplorassur continues his climb up the rankings. He is currently in 30th position in the 6 PM rankings, just ahead of Lola Billy on Région de Bretagne CMB Océane.

It will be necessary to weather the storm over the next 24 hours and manage this delicate period carefully. In these challenging conditions, clear thinking is key to success. Making the right decisions at the right time can prevent you from having to dig too deep into your reserves. Solo sailors are prepared for these transition phases during which the gaps can widen.

The night is likely to be long, but as soon as the fleet has turned again to gain ground in the south, comfort on board should improve slightly with a sea from the side rather than from the front.