Philippe Hartz (Marine National-Gican) is the new leader of the La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec this Wednesday morning.
Hartz leads a breakaway group to the west of the main peloton have profited in extra breeze getting across the little front first.
Hartz is equal with Alexis Thomas (Wings of the Ocean) with 202 nm to the finish, with Romain Bouillard (Decrochons la lune) 206 nm to the finish.
They are downwind in the new NW’ly first and making around 8-11kts compared with the main fleet which is still 52 miles to the east and making two to four knots less.
Previous leader Alexis Loison (GROUPE REEL) has plummeted to 26th holding an easterly option.
Ireland’s Tom Dolan has taken a bit of a hit and is down in 20th.
The westerly choice might be good for the moment but the danger is that the new high pressure ridge arrives from the west and they will get swallowed by it first.
The group in the west are sailing more distance. Nonetheless there is a lot still to happen over the final 200 miles into Gijón in the NW of Spain.
On the Défi Paprec England’s Ellie Driver and David Paul (Chilli Pepper) are fifth.
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