George David’s Rambler (USA) is cutting a lonely figure at the front of the 113-boat fleet.
The American Maxi is 75nm ahead, sailing at 16 knots, having passed Favigana early on Monday morning, day 3 of the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
Bruno Cardile’s ORMA 60 Ad Maiora (ITA) has also found good pressure, but needed to sail well offshore to find it. The trimaran is now about 40 miles from the north-west corner of the course and well behind Rambler.
Renzo Grottesi’s ClubSwan 42 BeWild (ITA) is 78nm from San Vito Lo Capo and still ranked as the top IRC boat overall. Second is Gabriele Bruni’s ICE52 PrimaVista-Lauria (ITA) and third is Frederic Puzin’s Mylius15 Corum – Daguet 2 (FRA).
These two teams have chosen to stay closer to Sicily than BeWild and a group made up of IRC 1 & IRC 2 yachts.
Weather models continue to show a complex picture for the northern coast of Sicily with areas of light winds interspersed with windless zones.