Ellen MacArthur's Foncia-Kingfisher has lost the lead to the Groupama craft skippered by Franck Cammas on the seventh day of the Challenge Mondial race.

Groupama is 29.8 miles ahead of Foncia, as the leaders contend with tricky winds.

The boats will arrive at the Straits of Gibraltar later on Saturday and the expected arrival time in Tarragona is Monday 21 May.

With a depression creating tricky windy conditions, the four leading trimarans continue to jostle for position, with Foncia reclaiming the lead at midday on Friday.

Foncia captain Alain Gautier said: "Leading is ephemeral. It is not easy to stay in the lead as the others come back from behind.

"Groupama remained in the north, which seems to be a good choice. But whoever gets first in Gibraltar might be stopped there."

Navigator MacArthur added: "The weather situation is most tricky. Bayer caught up with us. It is tight racing."

Bayer blow

Bayer is just over a mile behind second-placed Foncia after recovering from colliding with an object during the night, while Belgacom is another three miles behind.

Jean-Luc N�lias said: "We're within sight of Foncia-Kingfisher and Bayer. They're a little bit further north, about 7 to 8 miles ahead, but we do see them. Since we passed the Azores, the conditions have been really tricky."

Gitana XI, in fifth place, is 188.4 miles behind Groupama.