Soldini takes the gun!

Since crossing the start line on Sunday 11th May off Plymouth, Devon, Giovanni Soldini's enormous experience and tactical analysis kept him at the front of the pack: "I'm feeling very good, obviously," the 42 year-old said after stepping onto the pontoons after the finish. "The race for me was pretty good." One major feature that intensified tactics was the inclusion of an ice gate, installed by the Artemis Transat Race Direction team to keep the competing yachts clear of an area of icebergs drifting southwards off Newfoundland: "The ice gate was difficult, making me go against the Gulf Stream and stay in the south. Normally, we would sail a much more northern route, so we were a bit limited in our tactical options."

Soldini's tactical decisions ensured that Telecom Italia usually kept a good distance over the rest of the fleet: "I think I was good in the race," he admitted modestly. "It was a good choice to stay in the north in the beginning and through the first high-pressure. Then, in the second high-pressure we went south and I put a lot of good miles on the others."

However, the Italian yachtsman was quick to admit his own faults and also to praise the other competitors in the race: "In the final days, I didn't do so well, so they caught me up. Beluga Racer [Boris Herrmann] especially, he was very good in the last two days."

The Artemis Transat is the third victory for Soldini's one year-old, Guillaume Verdier-designed Class40, Telecom Italia, after first place in the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre in November 2007 and the Grand Prix Petit Navire in France earlier this year.