First VolvoOceanRace Boats pass Fernando de Noronha mark

     This morning I learned that 3 Boats have passed the one and only Mark on     VolvoOceanRace Leg 1 on Fernando de Noronha. 

First Boats rounding Fernando de Noronha

The 1st Boat to pass was Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing. She had build a small lead over the last days and was about 14 Nm ahead of the 2nd Boat.

The 2nd Boat to pass was Team Brunel, chasing AbuDhabi and with a long distance to sail, still has all options to finish as first.

The 3rd Boat to pass was Team Vestas Wind, with a more Easterly course made big gains over last days, but trailed about 40-50 Nm on the leaders . Looking at the Dashboard on 24 October 21:55 gmt, see image above, I do wonder however whether Vestas did pass Fernando de Noronha Mark on the correct side. Please check as it would be too bad to get a dsq in Cape Town. 

Sail on, the rest of the fleet is closing in , with a spread of only 102.5 Nm at midnight. The big startegical play in the Southern Atlantic will be the navigation around the St. Helena High, an area of High pressure with fierce winds around it that almost always exists, but to make this part of the Leg 1 a challenge, is relocating itself and moving. A good strategy how to pass this High , might bring you Victory in Cape Town, a wrong strategy, however, might drop  you down in the Leaderboard. Fair winds