United by the Ocean has snatched the overall lead in the Ocean Race Atlantic, overtaking early pacesetter Malizia overnight after a fleet-wide tactical split paid off for the chasing boats.
The numbers
- Malizia led from the start, building an 8 nautical mile advantage after the fleet’s only tack of the leg
- United by the Ocean and 11th Hour Racing pushed further east than the rest of the fleet, closing the gap through the night
United by the Ocean drone shot day 2. Photo credit: UBTO team - By 1:45am Friday the margin was down to 2.2nm; by 9:37am United by the Ocean had gone through into the lead, 0.9nm clear of Malizia, with 11th Hour Racing third
- Malizia made three tacks overnight against one for the rest of the fleet
Super Sprint, day two
Francesca Clapcich’s boat won narrowly from Malizia, with United by the Ocean third and Embrace the Challenge fourth. Conrad Colman’s 20-year-old, foil-less MSIG Europe moved ahead of DMG Mori, a reversal of day one’s order.
Kiwi watch
MSIG Europe, skippered by Colman and crewed by an all-New Zealand line-up including Anna Merchant and Megan Thomson, remains at the back of the fleet on distance but continues to close on the newer boats in the daily sprints.
Coming up over the next 24 hours
A low pressure system building off the American coast is the target for the fleet over the coming days. Whoever connects with it first, in tandem with the Gulf Stream, stands to pick up significant pace on the run to Lorient.
