de Pavant/d'Ali win Transat AG2R

Victory by just 18 minutes for Groupe Bel after 20 days of intense Figaro racing

At 0957GMT this morning a jubilant Kito de Pavant and his Italian co-skipper Pietro d'Ali crossed the St Barts finish line to take line honours in the Transat AG2R. The Franco-Italian duo on their Beneteau Figaro Groupe Bel covered the 3,710 mile course in 19 days 22 hours 24 minutes and 30 seconds at an average of 7.76 knots, and yet they finished just 18 minutes ahead of Dominique Vittet and 2000 winner Lionel Lemonchois on board ATAO Audio System. Such is the close competition in this class that the top six boats had all finished within just over two hours.

By taking a course on the northerly side of the middle pack as they crossed the Atlantic de Pavant, 43, the 2002 Solitaire du Figaro winner and d'Ali, 45, who won a leg of the Solitaire last year, pulled into the lead a week out from the finish. With the exception of a strong challenge from the 2004 Transat AG2R winner Armel le Cleac'h and Nicolas Troussel on Brit Air, Groupe Bel's northerly course finally paid off as the wind veered slightly south of due east but despite this their lead throughout this period bearly entered double figures.

Thanks to a blistering start which saw the AG2R fleet launched from the Bay of Biscay in strong following winds, the course record of 20 days 8 hours, set by the 2004 winning duo has now been decisively broken.

The third place on the podium was taken by mixed duo Jeanne Grégoire and Gérald Véniard on board Banque Populaire. This was a particularly great result for Grégoire who finished fifth with Sam Davies in the race two years ago.

Finishing times so far:

1 - Kito de Pavant/Pietro D’Ali - Groupe Bel, finished at 09h57’30GMT, in 19 days, 22 hours, 24 minutes and 30 seconds.
2 - Dominic Vittet/Lionel Lemonchois - ATAO Audio System. 18 minutes behind the leader, in 19d 22h 42m and 30 sec.
3 - Jeanne Grégoire/Gérald Véniard - Banque Populaire. 51 minutes and 25 seconds after the leader in 19d 23h 15m and 55s.
4 -  Roland Jourdain/Jean-Luc Nélias - Veolia. 55 minutes and 5 seconds after the leader in 19d 23h 19m and 35s.
5 - Armel Le Cléac’h/Nicolas Troussel - Brit Air. 1 hour, 15 minutes and 44 seconds after first, en 19d 23h 40m and 35s.
6 - Corentin Douguet/Thierry Chabagny - E.Leclerc-Bouygues Telecom. 2h, 9m and 30 seconds after the leader in 20 d and 34 minutes.