Eleven teams now ashore…

We then awaited the mixed doubles aboard 40 Degrees, held up a short distance from the finish in light airs and an adverse current. Then, we must not forget all those impatiently pushing their way to the front from behind. We take a look at those, who have made it ashore…

There are days like that, when everything looks good. At daybreak on this sixteenth day of sailing, Benoît Parnaudeau's arrived with the weather forecast announcing fine weather ashore. With his two colleagues, each complementing each other (Laurent Nevo at the helm, Quentin Monegier carrying out odd jobs), the skipper from La Rochelle, more used to solo yachting, could not hide his enjoyment at the end of this great adventure across the North Atlantic swell. At 06h28 GMT, Prévoir Vie crossed the finish after sailing some 3165 miles. The sun was out and the sailors were uplifted after an Atlantic crossing in the drizzle or the fog.

Benoît Parnaudeau: Long live the crew! «It was a great finish. The colours of the sunrise in Saint-Malo Bay with all the rocks and just a little wind to push us along. A great sight,» said Benoît alongside his 40-foot boat moored up with the boats that finished earlier. Coming from the Mini circuit via a solo round the world race in the 2004-2005 Vendée Globe, Benoît Parnaudeau has been a regular in Class 40 for two years. Known for his ability to combine sailing skills, a good sense of humour and a desire to share with others, «Ben» is one of the friendliest chaps in ocean racing. A defender of fair-trade and campaigning for environmentally friendly issues, Benoît sails for fun and races to promote these values.This great guy was welcomed home by the overall winner in Class 40, Halvard Mabire. « We were in the leading group and the four frontrunners got away, while we were stuck on the ridge of high pressure. The race continued and we had to watch the boats behind, which may well have caught us up. Fortunately, we were in a relatively good position for the final run to the finish in Saint-Malo,» explained Ben, before adding: «I had already sailed with others on delivery trips, but never in a race before. It's a different way of sailing, getting things just right on board the boat and advancing,... It's very enriching and of course, it gives you the urge to do it again. Our boats are well adapted to that.»

Channel hopping
Later, it was time for the British team on 40 Degrees to complete their transatlantic crossing from west to east via the North face from the Saint Lawrence with all its hurdles and traps. At 15 h GMT, Peter Harding and his mixed crew (Miranda Merron, Freddie Hall and Alex Sizer) were just ten miles from the finish, but the wind refused to help them. Sailing at two knots against the current, 40 Degrees will have to wait a few more hours before crossing the finish line to take 6th place. In their wake, a group of other competitors taking part in a close contact race after 3000 miles of racing with under their belts a lot of exciting tales to bring to the pontoons in Saint-Malo.

Early this morning, Alain Grinda gave us a picture of what was happening on Rêv' 86: «We are at the tip of Brittany with around 130 miles to go and Techneau is right here upwind of us! It's going to be tough for us, as we have been fending off his advances for some time with our old gennaker, which is much smaller. Because we're missing our main spinnaker, which exploded four days ago, that is likely to be a handicap (we didn't want them to know that, in case it gave them some encouragement). Today's programme involves tactics, speed and racing in the Bay. To keep it short, we'll see at the finish... » That is what it is like in Class 40!

In the 15h rankings, four 40-foot boats were seen to have entered the Channel. Welcome to Beluga Shipping (Boris Herrmann), Rev'86 (Alain Grinda), Appart City (Yvan Noblet) and L'Esprit Large-Talmont Saint Hilaire (Jean-Edouard Criquioche), who continue to sail in a south westerly flow, which is affected further east by a little low forming in the Bay of Biscay. The unfavourable winds are likely to slow them down towards the finish, adding to the stress they feel as they make their way to Saint-Malo.

Tonight and during the day tomorrow, we are likely to see a lot of people reaching the line. Some Class 40 boats, of course, will be finishing their adventure, which was just as enjoyable as it was a sporting challenge. That is the case for Laiterie de Saint-Malo, Victorien Erussard's fifty-foot boat, which more or less covered the North Atlantic without a rudder. Victorien and his young mates are expected to finish sometime tomorrow afternoon. It is likely that their finish will be much appreciated in their homeport of Saint-Malo.