The Ocean Race: "Catch me if you can" - Team Guyot extends its lead

The second leg of the Ocean Race remains highly exciting: the fleet is still heading south. The long arm of the St Helena High keeps catching the teams on their persistent southerly course. On Thursday, light winds slowed down Team Guyot with Berlin skipper Robert Stanjek to such an extent that Kevin Escoffier's Team Holcim - PRB was even able to take the lead for a short time. In the meantime, however, Guyot Environnement - Team Europe has extended its lead again to more than 80 nautical miles in the most easterly position of the fleet in 20 degrees south on Friday morning.

"Guyot" fastest boat over 24 hours

"We fight, we fight for every mile," said "Guyot" skipper Robert Stanjek. Current motto: "Catch me if you can" - catch us if you can. Guyot achieved an average speed of 15.4 knots in the last 24 hours up to 8 a.m. German time on 3 February. The pursuers "Holcim - PRB" and "Biotherm" achieved an average of 13.5 and 13.3 knots respectively. The fourth-placed 11th Hour Racing Team achieved 14.3 knots and Team Malizia 15.2 knots.

As from Skipper Will Harris in an interview with the yacht the foil damage to "Malizia - Seaexplorer" does not appear to have slowed it down for the time being.

Instead, there were cheerful greetings from Team Malizia and a forecast for the race control: "Hello Race Control! All is well on board the 'Malizia'. We are enjoying some very nice sailing conditions: 12-15 knots TWS and flat seas. The boat is lurching southwards. We just miss some ice and beer as it's very warm on board!!! Next, we will sail along the Brazilian coast to circumnavigate the St Helena high pressure area and reach strong downwind conditions. This wind will allow us to sail eastwards to Cape Town. The end is then very unpredictable. Because there could be another area of high pressure to cross without wind ..."

First a race in the south, then a doldrums finale off Cape Town?

To circumnavigate the exceptionally wide St Helena High, all boats will dive deep into the south. Possibly as far south as 45 degrees, in order to then benefit from strong winds on an easterly course to Cape Town. So there will be several more races: in the speed race to the south and in the finale once again on the light-winded approach to the South African leg harbour.