Vendee Globe | dag 15

1500 HRS GMT. Rankings, (FRA, unless stated)
1- Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) 20391 miles to the finish
2- Seb Josse (BT) at + 28.5 miles to leader
3- Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) at + 53 miles to leader
4- Vincent Riou (PRB) at + 62.6 miles to leader
5- Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) at + 66.7 miles r

Selected International
6- Mike Golding, GBR, (ECOVER 3) at + 68.8 miles
11- Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) at + 241.6 miles
12- Dominique Wavre, SUI, (Temenos 2) at + 256.6 miles
14- Sam Davies, GBR,(ROXY) at + 320.9 miles
16- Dee Caffari, GBR, (AVIVA) at + 514.3 miles

18- Unai Basurko, ESP, (Pakea Bizkaia) at + 685.7 miles
19 – Steve White, GBR, (Toe in the Water) at + 699.3 miles
20 – Johnny Malbon, GBR, (Artemis) at + 749 miles

21- Rich Wilson, USA, (Great America III) at + 790.2 miles
23- Bernard Stamm, SUI, (Cheminées Poujoulat) at + 974.5 miles
24- Norbert Sedlacek, AUT, (Nauticsport-Kapsch) at + 1165.7 miles
25- Derek Hatfield, CAN, (Algimouss Spirit of Canada) at + 1485 miles

IN SHORT

The passage down the South Atlantic is routine but relentless, fast trade winds sailing keeping a constant steady pressure on the skippers.

Loïck Peyron continues to respond to each small change, setting the pace to gain four miles last night on second placed Seb Josse (BT).

Between fourth and sixth, Armel Le Cléac’h and Mike Golding, GBR, there is now just 6.2 miles.

22 of 26 boats across the Equator now.

Jérémie Beyou (Delta Dore), 120 miles from Recife.

Psychologically, being in the lead is not necessarily very relaxing. The frontrunner has to find the way, take each wind shift and bend, each line of new wind, and avoid taking the wrong road. The slightest hesitation and the pack will pounce.

Some skippers admit that they prefer to be a bit further back, although not too far, of course, in order to observe before making their move. The only thing that really counts in a race is the finishing line. It does not matter if you have been in the lead for three-quarters of the time, if you are pipped at the post. With thirty years of racing behind him, Loïck Peyron has learnt to deal with this pressure.

He applies his psychological advantage by making small gains over his rivals each night. Last night it was another four miles, to ease 28.5 miles clear of Seb Josse, (BT), his consistent shadow who makes it seven consecutive days in second place.

Mike Golding, GBR, (Ecover 3) had converged very slightly with Jean Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac) but is running parallel and almost abeam of the third placed winner of the Barcelona World Race. Golding was second quickest of the top group overnight, while the speed of Peyron – who consistently seems to find more speed at night.

Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar), 11th, has kept pace almost exactly with 10th placed Marc Guillemot (Safran).

Jonny Malbon, GBR, (Artemis II), Rich Wilson, USA, (Great American III) and Raphael Dinelli (Fondation Océan Vital) all passed across the Equator last night.

Bernard Stamm, SUI, (Cheminées Poujoulat) will be the next to cross, while Derek Hatfield, CAN, (Algimouss Spirit of Canada) lines up to enter the Doldrums.