The north westerly wind is holding the top contesters in a tight grib in Storebælt. See onboard video from DF40.
Caption: Onboard video from Flying Dragon Tuesday morning when passing the Great Belt Bridge.
Two boats have passed the Great Belt Bridge Dragonfly 40C Flying Dragon and Xp44 XAR.
"It will be no earlier than 10 am and no later than 2 pm," Jens Thuesen wrote last night to Garmin Round Denmark Race communications. And we can confirm that it will be closer to 2 pm than 10 am as the northwesterly wind keeps the boat from seriously stretching its legs.
Dane Anders Johansen in JPK 10.30 made gains on the competitors in the larger Swedish boats when he chose to spend the mandatory 8 hours resttime during the big calm period monday, which meant that he could sail when the wind returned while the Swedes lay still during their rest time. Anders Johansen is still southwest of Lolland.
On the inshore fully crewed course, Henrik Jørgensen in Xp 44 Xbox and John Haurum in X49E have a close battle on the long Baltic Sea crossing back from Bornholm. It is still Xbox that leads. But the lead has shrunk from 12 nautical miles 24 hours ago to 1.8 nautical miles at. 7.30 Tuesday.
On the two star course, the battle is even closer. Here is JPK 38 Belle with Andreas Willim 0.7 nautical miles ahead of Danish Frank Lavrsen in the 10 m boat Jingo. In third place is Dutch sailors Harmen De Jong who has reduced the lead from 20 to 16 nautical miles.
Finally, Claus Cato has sailed a terrific leg on the singlehand inshore course where he is light years ahead of number 2. Cato who sails the Archambault 35 Emily approaches Falster while the rest of the fleet is at Bornholm.
Xp44 XAR has been leading the singlehanded race since the end of leg 1. Right now beating upwind the boat is close to race leader Flying Dragon. (photo: Søren Wiegand // GRDR22)