#vor – Team Vestas Wind, with Kerry's Brian Carlin onboard, gambled – and lost big time – during a night of movement and a lead change in the fleet. Now the lead is taken by pre race favourite Abu–Dhabi with Cork bowman Justin Slattery.
The boats had all been sailing very close to the African coast to pick up the prevalent breeze there and at one stage Team SCA went as close at 0.5 miles from the shores of Morocco.
Then the Danish boat decided to make a bold move, sailing west in the opposite direction to the fleet. It was the wrong decision but it took Team Vestas Wind longer than the rest of the fleet to realise it.
At 0500 UTC, Team Vestas Wind were in last position, some 15 nautical miles from the leader and nine miles from the their closest rivals, Team Brunel, in sixth position.
Meanwhile, up ahead, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing regained the lead ahead of Team Alvimedica with Dongfeng Race Team hot on their heels at 0500 UTC.
The 15 nautical miles separating first and last was the biggest gap since the start of the race.
Justin Slattery carrying out a sail change on Abu–Dhabi racing
The forecast does not seem to be improving in terms of wind speed to push the boats on their way with light breeze expected for the next few hours.
Sailing away from the coast is not an option where the wind has dropped away altogether. If the conditions continue, the boats will not pass through the Canary Islands until tomorrow afternoon local time.
Now the big question is which side of the Canaries will they take: west or east. If the forecast stays like this, they will probably go east, the channel between the islands and the African coast
