There was a general recall at the start, and so the race began a few minutes late. The fleet headed off towards the Dennis mark into a light and variable wind, coming mainly from the East. Jacobi was first to arrive at the Dennis mark, followed by Magic Bus, which turned just in front of Jetta. Jetta then crept slowly past Magic Bus and Jacobi, as the boats headed back to the Toll mark using spinnakers. The photograph shows this stage of the race, with Jetta having just passed Jacobi to go into the lead. The wind was dying away and several boats spent a long time becalmed at the Toll mark. Some skippers retired as the fleet became becalmed again on their return to the Dennis mark. Jetta steadily increased her lead, eventually finishing at about ten past eight, over an hour before Jacobi and Shere Khan.