First challenge is played and the current leaderboard isn't showing the actual situation on the racefiled. From my perspective guys fighting the strong winds of the south will soon start collecting dividends by staying in more pressure on the rim of the Acores high and having better angle. The northern guys will soon face tricky dilema, making the costly jibe south to avoid being swolowed by the high or gambling that the high will not expand enough to engoulf them in its nerve wracking calms.
In the field ususal suspects are currently leading the pack. Sebastien on 716 and Veronique on 429 will have hardest job in keeping their places due to their northern position. Thomas on 787 had to stop due to fuell cell problem (if I understood correctly) which is unfortunate. Electrical problems are the most frustrating ones. They are a bit like viral ilness. When you break your arm at least you know why it happened but with this kind of things it is just frustrating.
Honorable mention to American Ryan Finn who is keeping his pace on 99 Finot together with very fast 265 and 618. His track is not optimal but his current positon is good.

But the race will be decided on the end. Keeping south in the last part of the course will provide more pressure but relatively bad angle on last aproach, keeping north brings the risk of stoping in unpredictable Acores high.

It would be interesting to see what was routing suggesting with the gribs from the time of the start. We shoudn't forget that guys have very limited meteo informations, that top runners are not seeing each other anymore and that scheduled reports skippers have to make to accompany boats are definetly not heard by Bertrand on 754 and probably some other front runners as well. Accompany boats usually keep their position a bit more mid fleet with the valid assumption that fastest boats don't have problems.