NEWS

A hot final night at Transat Jacques Vabre

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The final winners of this season's «»Coffee Race have been determined. First place in the Class 40 division went to the duo of Maxime Sorel and Antoine Carpentier on the 40-foot monohull «V and B», while their closest rivals were breathing down their necks. It was the first time in its history that the renowned offshore regatta had ever seen such a tightly fought final.

It was not only the tropical climate of El Salvador and the sultry Brazilians who greeted the competitors at the finish line that gave the Transat Jacques Vabre a heady night for competitors and fans. Passions heated up as the two 40-foot monohulls approached All Saints Bay with a minimal lead.

In the end, the «V and»B crew , who had been leading for the last few hours, beat «Aïna Enfance and Avenir» driven by Aymeric Chappellier and Arthur Le Vaillant by just 17 minutes and 42 seconds.

The winners covered 4,513 nautical miles at an average speed of 10.77 knots in 17 days, 10 hours 44 minutes and 15 seconds.

They beat the minimum time set by the Italian duo Giovanni Soldini and Pietro D'Ali on Telecom Italia in 2007 (which was the first time that Class 40 boats participated in a regatta) by more than 5 days.

Rounding out the top three is one of this season's favourites, the team of Phil Sharp and Pablo Santurde on Imerys Clean Energy. The British-Spanish team reached the finish line 5 hours after «V and B».

Sam Manuard was particularly proud on the night as he watched the first 4 places among the Class 40 single-hulled boats based on his designs.

Traditionally, the«Coffee Race» features boats in four classes, with a winner determined in each class. This year the first to finish and leader of the Ultime division was the maxi trimaran Sodebo Ultim, among the Multi50s the 50-foot trimaran Arkema won, and the Imoca class standings were topped by the St Michel-Virbac boat.

This year's regatta, which started in Le Havre on November 5, was generous in its achievements, with the leaders of each class breaking at least one record.

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