After setting sail from St Malo at 1 pm on Sunday, Sharp, a former Victoria College pupil, found himself in 21st place after becoming hooked on a lobster pot in the first few hours of the race.
That failed to hold him back for long, and he has since climbed to a splendid third on his boat philsharpracing.com and lies miles miles ahead of fellow Brit Ian Munslow, in the new Class 40.
There are 3,000 miles of racing left before the finish in Guadeloupe.
