In second place was Lionhead who moved to the top of the leaderboard closelyfollowed by Blue FPT with the British entry, Hot Lemon, in third. Following the rough and tumble of the first four days the teams now had the chance to lick their wounds and regroup over land or by sea to Inverness, travelling through the stunning Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness, followed by a day of rest.

For most it was nothing of the sort as they patched up themselves and their boats and worked day and night to prepare for the long journey south. Those fortunate enough to find time to relax were able to enjoy the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands and sample the many varieties of Scotch whisky.

The Caledonian Canal connects the east and west coasts of Scotland and covers a distance of 62 miles. Only one third is man-made, the rest is formed by Loch Dochfour, Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. These lochs are part of the Great Glen, a geological fault at the Earth’s crust. There are 29 locks, four aqueducts and 10 bridges in the course of the canal, with some locks taking as long as an hour for the boats to pass through.

The fleet rose early on Day 6, heading for the start in Inverness and a first taste of the North Sea.  The 210 nautical mile journey to Edinburgh would be the longest stage of the entire race.

In moderate to rough conditions and suitably refreshed, Wettpunkt.com once again demonstrated its racing pedigree, arriving in the Scottish capital 12 minutes ahead of its nearest rival.