The first boat is expected in this afternoon from Marion, despite starting almost a day later than the rest of the fleet.

Heartsease Laurus Roc, a trimaran and the largest vessel in the 75-boat fleet, is predicted to be the first across the finish in line at St. David's sometime this afternoon.

The boat, one of seven multi-hulls taking part in the 645-mile ocean crossing, is among the leaders in the fleet despite starting just after 11 a.m. on Saturday, 22 hours after the monohull boats left Buzzards Bay.

Heartsease Laurus Roc, skippered by Lars Svensson, is among the M class boats allowed to compete for the first time in the 15th edition of the Marion-Bermuda race and was 283 miles from her destination at 7 p.m. last night.

In the monohulls, Robert Mulderig's Starr Trail, the first across the line in 2003, is in a tight race to repeat that feat.

The Farr 72 led from the start on Friday but has since been overtaken on a more easterly course by Visions of Johanna, skippered by William Strassberg.

These boats are not expected in until the middle of the night. Starr Trail was travelling at just 2kts last night, 269 miles from home while Visions of Johanna was 254.4 miles from Bermuda, but travelling at nearly 7 kts.

Also competing in the A class, media star Geraldo Rivera was well back in the fleet aboard Voyager. Rivera, who sails to Bermuda every year although not normally in races, is attempting to gain an official finish in the Marion-Bermuda event for the first time after being disqualified in 1985 after a collision at the start.

In the B class, Colin Couper's Babe is the leader, although she is still 303.9 miles away, travelling at just over 8 kts.

Among the crew of ten is Governor of Bermuda Sir John Vereker, attempting to complete his second ocean crossing after also joining Couper in last year's Newport race.

Three vessels have pulled out of the race so far, with Fiona Rois, Saoirse and Alegra all returning to Sippican Harbour.

Meanwhile Kiva, which was forced to miss the start after problems with a new sail, eventually set off late on Friday and has been able to catch up with the main body of the fleet.

The position of all the boats competing can be tracked using the iboattrack technology on www.marionbermuda.com. The positions are updated every two hours throughout the entire race.