Transat Jacques Vabre race

French boat exits Doldrums to take lead off MacArthur

Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron, in Virbec-Paprec, have clawed their way back into the lead of the Transat Jacques Vabre race from Le Havre to Bahia after being headed by Ellen MacArthur and Roland Jourdain in Sill et Veolia.

Dame Ellen thought that the lack of a critical sail was slowing down the French boat but at one stage yesterday morning, with the two boats on the same heading, Virbec-Paprec was going almost three knots faster.

But at least it seems the Doldrums, so dreaded of sailors, are behind them now and they race along less than eight miles apart just north of the Equator. Mike Sanderson's ABN Amro 1 is the leader in the Volvo Ocean Race.

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