Paris (AFP)

The big favorites in the category of Imoca, Jérémie Beyou and his sidekick Christopher Pratt (Charal), aboard their flying boat, were Monday night still leading the Transat Jacques Vabre (TJV) in doubles, whose start was given Sunday in Le Havre.

With a score of 20:00 Monday (19:00 GMT), the tandem was leading the Imoca fleet, these monohulls of 18 m who are the stars of the legendary race around the world single-handed, the Vendée Globe. They are 3915 nautical miles (6300 km) from their point of arrival, the port of Salvador de Bahia (Brazil).

The two French are followed by the British Samantha Davis (Initiatives-Heart), accompanied by the French Paul Meilhat.

Follow just behind the duo of French Charles Dalin and Yann Eliès (Apivia).

The sailboat barred by Beyou is part of the latest generation Imoca, those able to fly thanks to their foils (side appendages that act like airplane wings to take off the hull and spin at high speed).

The 2019 TJV is being driven by one of only three multihulls in the race, that of Thibaut Vauchel Camus / Fred Duthil (ARSEP Solidarity En Peloton), which was Monday at 20:00 (19:00 GMT) at 3862 nautical miles (6215 km) from the 'arrival.

In Class40, Sam Goodchild and Fabien Delahaye (Leyton) lead at 20h00, after Luke Berry's leading boat and Tanguy Le Turquais dismasted earlier in the day (Lamotte - Module Création).

Ranking Monday at 20:00 (19:00 GMT)

. Multi50 (50ft / 15m multihull) - 3 engaged

1. Thibaut Vauchel-Camus / Frédéric Duthil (ARSEP Solidarity In Peloton) at 3861.9 nm from the finish

2. Sebastien Rogues / Matthieu Souben (Primal) at 41.39 from 1st

3. Gilles Lamire / Antoine Carpentier (GCA Group - A Thousand and One Smiles) at 45.29

. Imoca (60-foot / 18-m monohull) - 29 hired

1. Jérémie Beyou / Christopher Pratt (Charal) at 3915 nm from the finish

2. Sam Davies / Paul Meilhat (Initiatives-Heart) at 8.05 from 1st

3. Charlie Dalin / Yann Eliès (Apivia) at 9.43

4. Charlie Enright / Pascal Bidegorry (11th Hour Racing) at 10.63 nm

5. Kevin Escoffier / Nicolas Lunven (PRB) at 14.18

6. Clarisse Crémer / Armel le Cleac'h (People's Bank) at 18.17

7. Damien Seguin / Yoann Richomme (Apicil Group) at 18.28

8. Sebastien Simon / Vincent Riou (Arkea-Paprec) at 20.31

9. Louis Burton / Davy Beaudart (Valley Office 2) at 22.38

10. Boris Herrmann / Will Harris at 22.52 nm

. Class40 (40ft / 12m monohull) - 27 engaged

1. Fabien Delahaye / Sam Goodchild (Leyton) at 4000.7 nm from the finish

2. Aymeric Chappellier / Pierre Leboucher (Aina Childhood and Future) at 5.85 nm from the 1st

3. Louis Duc / Aurélien Ducroz (Crosscall Chamonix Mont-Blanc) at 20.44 nm

© 2019 AFP