Cammas Set to Win, Van Liew Builds Lead

Franck Cammas has never won the Route du Rhum-La Banque Postale, but it looks like this may be his year. Carrying a lead of 260 miles with only 160 more miles to go, and little in the way of truly adverse weather in his path, Cammas has effectively transformed the race into a contest for second place. Thomas Coville is leading Francis Joyon by a mere 50 miles as the two converge on Guadeloupe, both holding a tremendous amount of leverage as a result of ther wide split north to south. Roland ‘Bilou’ Jourdain’s Veolia Environment has reclaimed an ever-so-slim lead in the IMOCA 60 class. There’s been carnage at the top of the Multi50 class with early leader Franck-Yves Escoffier’s Crêpes Whaou! 3 and consistent runner-up Yves Le Blevec’s Actual both suffering race-ending breakages.The former lost a section of his main hull’s bow, while the latter has damage to the front crossbeam. Go to the link above for the all the latest updates.

With just under 1,700 miles to go, Brad Van Liew has opened up a 180-mile lead over Gutek Gutkowski’s Operon Racing in Leg One of the Velux 5 Oceans Race. When the two made their left turn toward Cape Town while off the coast of Brazil, they were equidistant to the finish. However it would appear that Van Liew’s extra miles to the south allowed him to leg out. Canadian Derek Hatfield is 850 miles behind Van Liew with a lead of over 200 miles over the fourth-place Chris Stanmore Major’s Spartan.