For the navigators, picking the lock of the tactical conundrum of this leg lay in the decision to go nort.

The shoe boat spent three and a half hours on port gybe before gybing back again. Andreas Hanakamp on Team Russia and Roberto Bermudez, new to the helm of Delta Lloyd followed PUMA’s lead and gybed north as well.

By the 16:00 GMT report, PUMA’s long-term romancing of Ericsson 4 was officially over. Torben Grael’s men are now the most-southerly of the fleet – a trial separation of 75 miles from Ken Read. The divorce courts await.

Again a word of caution about the DTF standings on the leaderboard – with those boats lying north holding the ‘apparent’ advantage given they are closer to their destination while those setting up camp in the south can expect better propulsion to the scoring gate.