Between the islands of Santo Antao and San Vicente, the competitors in the Mini-Transat la Boulangère fleet have to make their way along a channel spanning seven miles wide. The passage through the gate will give a precise idea of how everyone is ranked as well as drawing up an initial hierarchy prior to making the big leap across the Atlantic from which there is no way back.

The expected north-easterly wind is now packing a punch. As a result, the Minis are once again making speeds that are more in line with their true potential as they plunge southwards. Though the majority of the fleet has opted to pass between the TSS of Cape Finisterre and the Spanish coast, a few of the skippers have chosen to take the long route