Ocean Race Europe: "Holcim-PRB" wipes out huge deficit, quintet bow to bow

Almost as if lined up for the restart, the reunited top five headed into the Inonian Sea on day five of leg five of the Ocean Race Europe. The positions within the leading group continue to change rapidly. Team Holcim-PRB has made an impressive comeback. Skipper Rosalin Kuiper, navigator Nico Lunven, Carolijn Brouwer and Alan Roberts have erased a deficit of more than 150 nautical miles within two days - and took the lead on Friday morning.

Ocean Race Europe: first to the east, then to Boka Bay

After taking advantage of a transition zone throughout the day yesterday, the "Holcim-PRB" crew caught up again with the leading quartet. On Friday morning, Imoca even took the lead under the Swiss flag. "We're all back on the same starting line," said "Holcim-PRB" navigator Nicolas Lunven, describing with relief what he saw as the ideal situation being restored. The Frenchman predicted upwind phases and reaching for the rest of the stage.

Only around seven nautical miles separated the first five boats on Friday morning as they plunged into the Ionian Sea off the southern Italian coast of Calabria. It's bow to bow eastwards to the next waypoint before the breathless chase continues northwards towards the destination harbour of Boka Bay in Montenegro. Click here for the live tracker.

The north-south distribution of the five teams vying for the top positions is interesting. "Holcim-PRB" was sailing on the southern outer flank towards the end of race day five. Paul Meilhat's Team Biotherm was positioned furthest north at around 9am. Boris Herrmann's Team Malizia sailed close to the French, including Yoann Richomme's Team Paprec Arkéa. Ambrogio Beccaria's "Allagrande Mapei" had positioned itself more to the south in the vicinity of "Holcim-PRB".

Bow to bow to the next waypoint

The north-south distance between "Biotherm" and "Holcim-PRB" was a good 20 nautical miles on Friday morning. The "Holcim-PRB", which was closest to the layline, still had around 150 nautical miles to go to the next waypoint to be rounded, while her rivals had only a little more. This section of the final leg, which was so changeable, also promised to be exciting. A look at the intermediate standings after four stages shows where the teams stood before the final leg.

On Friday, many of the sailors were still thinking back to the violently "illuminated" Thursday. "Paprec Arkéa" skipper Yoann Richomme reported "hundreds of lightning bolts", some of which struck less than two kilometres away from his boat. "That didn't feel so good," said the usually hardy Richomme. Afterwards, according to the 42-year-old Vendée Globe runner-up, the fleet continued at "full speed and average speeds of 25 knots" before they "hit a wall without any wind".

Richomme thus painted a good picture of the interplay the crews will have to deal with on this leg. And also of how exciting it can remain in the Ocean Race Europe until the start of the new week. The first boats are expected in the finish port on Monday (15 September). A final coastal race will take place there on 20 September with the points value of an entire leg, before the best are honoured on 21 September in Montenegro.

Steering, ploughing, eating and sleeping in the hulk room - insights into life on board the "Malizia - Seaexplorer":