The first full day of racing in this ninth edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre, sees the fleet into the Atlantic with a pause for reflection, a chance to regroup before the first big weather systems descend on the fleet and, in time, the first telling strategic moves need to be made.While Michel Desjoyeaux and Jeremie Beyou have lost little time in falling in line with their billing as pre-race favourites, leading out of the inky black of the first night at sea, quickly into a rhythm which can be established more readily thanks to the miles that both have sailed on the Farr design Foncia, which won this race in 2007, and more recently triumphed in the Istanbul Europa Race with co-skipper Beyou on board.
Foncia was leading the pack out of a ridge of high pressure early this afternoon, in close company with Groupe Bel - which has remained resolutely south since the start yesterday - Akena Verandas, which on board has Arnaud Boissires partnered by past Vendee Globe winner Vincent Riou, and record breaking British double-circumnavigator Dee Caffari with Brian Thompson well placed on Aviva in fifth.
Ahead for them is the first nasty weather system of a sequence of depressions which are forecast to bring them 40-45 knots and big seas on Wednesday. Such weather is standard fare for this time of the year in the Atlantic, but by Friday - the 13th - they should be through the worst of it and negotiating the Azores archipelago.
