It's almost certain that trade winds should accompany the Ireland's Thomas Dolan and the Mini Transat fleet right up until their arrival in Pointe-a-Pitre. There is no longer much difference in speeds between north and south, and everyone is moving at a good pace towards the finish line. Dolan remains a consistent 21st in his 44th boat fleet.
In the prototypes, Frederic Denis (Nautipark) holds the lead, while in the series boats, Julien Pulve (Novintiss) comes up, for the first time in the race, to snatch the lead position from Ian Lipinski (Entreprises Innovantes). On the other side of the Atlantic, Francois Jambou (Concevoir et Construire) has started off again.
For the first time since the start, the men in the north have reached speeds that can compete with those on the southern route. Chris Lükerman (CA Technologies) finally went above 10 knots.
Positions on 8th November at 15 :00pm (TU+1)
Prototypes
1. Frederic Denis, Nautipark, 993.6 nm from finish
2. Ludovic Mechin, Microvitae, 34.0 nm to leader
3. Axel Trehin, Aleph Racing, 38.6
4. Clement Bouyssou, Le Bon Agent 0 Bougeons l'Immobilier, 43.1
5. Michele Zambelli, Illumia, 47.3
Series
1. Julien Pulve, Novintiss, 1149.9 miles from the finish line
2. Ian Lipinski, Entreprises Innovantes, 2.2 nm to leader
3. Tanguy Le Turquais, Terreal, 81.1
4. Edouard Golbery, Les Enfants du Canal, 83
5. Edwin Thibon, Coeur Fidele, 98.1
