Bravo Isabelle

Mini Transat gets its first ever female leg winner

Monday September 24th 2007, Author: James Boyd, Location: Transoceanic

Images courtesy of Expedition Navigation Systems

Positions at 0700

Pos	S No	Skipper	Boat	Cls	Lat	Long	Spd	Crs	DTF	DTL
1	667	Joschke Isabelle	Degremont - synergie	proto	32.646 N	-16.9097 W	0	222	0	0
2	679	Manuard Samuel	Sitting bull	proto	32.646 N	-16.9097 W	0	88	0	0
3	624	le Blevec Yves	Actual	proto	32.6369 N	-16.8789 W	1.6	274	1.57	1.57
4	424	Deshayes Ronan	Pco technologies	proto	32.8938 N	-16.2476 W	7	251	37.18	37.18
5	510	Mihelin Andraz	Adria mobil too	proto	33.0722 N	-16.198 W	7.5	196	45.28	45.28
6	198	Hardy Adrien	Brossard	proto	33.0481 N	-16.1597 W	9.7	182	45.85	45.85
7	429	Pella Alex	Generalitat valenciana	proto	32.9856 N	-16.0633 W	5.9	203	47.96	47.96
8	260	Cusin Olivier	Energies autour du monde	proto	33.0451 N	-16.0487 W	9.7	192	50.37	50.37
9	630	Cassanas Matthieu	Ville de balaruc les bains	proto	33.3152 N	-16.4299 W	8	196	51.3	51.3
10	617	Despres Fabien	Soitec	proto	33.3433 N	-16.4777 W	8.6	191	52.27	52.27
11	348	Sineau David	Bretagne lapins	proto	33.348 N	-16.3452 W	7	216	54.63	54.63
12	427	Gladu Sébastien	Clichy sous bois - clichy sur l’eau	proto	33.3973 N	-16.3115 W	10.2	201	58.02	58.02
13	347	Riou Yann	Cameleon	proto	33.3901 N	-16.2675 W	7.5	204	58.56	58.56
14	618	Laureyssens Peter	Ecover	proto	33.2744 N	-15.8716 W	10.2	263	65.64	65.64
15	346	Bourgues Laurent	Adrenaline	proto	33.5817 N	-15.7373 W	10.7	201	83.48	83.48
16	628	Monegier Quentin	Tabon	proto	33.8569 N	-16.1821 W	11.3	199	86.09	86.09
17	551	Cospen Raoul	Dalet digital media systems	proto	33.6205 N	-15.7041 W	9.7	203	86.34	86.34
18	575	Burkhalter Clayton	Acadia	proto	33.635 N	-15.7151 W	7	210	86.68	86.68
19	419	Brennan Nicholas	Rafiki	proto	33.7112 N	-15.796 W	4.8	201	88.28	88.28
20	265	Claquin Aloys	Vecteur plus	proto	33.6245 N	-15.6417 W	7.5	203	88.53	88.53
21	567	Koch Jérome	SPH	proto	33.8278 N	-15.9693 W	9.1	204	88.75	88.75
22	509	Hajnsek Kristian	Adria mobil	proto	33.2243 N	-15.281 W	9.7	204	89.65	89.65
23	539	le Diraison Stéphane	Cultisol - institut curie	serie	33.8182 N	-15.7758 W	7	211	93.24	93.24
24	417	Duguet François	Credit agricole skipper challenge	proto	33.8545 N	-15.7714 W	8.6	210	95.17	95.17
25	574	Braidwood Tom	Wombat	proto	34.1171 N	-15.7515 W	8.6	210	109.18	109.18
26	321	Vadeleau Yoann	Lune de miel pour bahia	proto	34.217 N	-15.9584 W	7	203	110.24	110.24
27	431	Caracci Andrea	Speedy bonsai	proto	34.1571 N	-15.6062 W	8	248	114.91	114.91
28	612	Quelen Jean-François	Galanz	serie	34.3486 N	-15.9085 W	9.7	196	118.5	118.5
29	472	Barnaud Vincent	Masoco bay	serie	34.2329 N	-15.5993 W	10.2	202	118.97	118.97
30	312	Allain Yannick	Centifolia - chaveta	proto	34.3548 N	-15.8784 W	10.7	200	119.4	119.4
31	250	Castelnerac Bertrand	As de coeur	serie	34.3503 N	-15.3495 W	8	201	131.58	131.58
32	516	Krizek David	Atlantik ft	serie	33.9912 N	-14.842 W	9.1	171	132.74	132.74
33	633	Schroder Lucas	T-mobile one	serie	34.6299 N	-15.8714 W	7	237	134.99	134.99
34	500	Wood Andrew	Domosofa.com	proto	34.5887 N	-15.7139 W	7	243	135.49	135.49
35	518	Piveteau Hervé	Jules - imprimerie cartoffset	serie	34.5813 N	-15.6431 W	9.7	196	136.51	136.51
36	232	Stipanicev Sime	Marina tribunj	proto	34.3891 N	-15.0431 W	8.6	169	142.98	142.98
37	303	Favre Hervé	Team work management	proto	34.3645 N	-14.9739 W	10.2	226	143.93	143.93
38	573	Picault Sébastien	Groupe royer	proto	34.7543 N	-15.7343 W	8	207	144.33	144.33
39	159	Gedouin Pierre	Micromegas	proto	34.7751 N	-15.4635 W	6.4	193	150.83	150.83
40	444	Rawlinson David	www.oceanchallenge.com	proto	34.7749 N	-15.438 W	6.4	212	151.38	151.38
41	482	Graulle Bénédicte	Barreau de paris	serie	34.8603 N	-15.5157 W	5.3	202	154.36	154.36
42	485	Bonnier Thomas	Architecture(s) elementaire(s)	serie	34.8727 N	-15.5467 W	9.1	181	154.42	154.42
43	454	Salabert François	Areas assurances	proto	34.956 N	-15.7324 W	13.4	197	155.74	155.74
44	480	Loisel Véronique	De l’espace pour la mer	serie	34.9467 N	-15.4433 W	9.7	193	160.56	160.56
45	247	Ruyant Thomas	Region nord pas de calais - faber france	proto	35.0352 N	-15.624 W	8	192	162.03	162.03
46	353	Orti Nacho	Medi-valencia	proto	35.2658 N	-15.7651 W	6.4	220	172.95	172.95
47	258	Gascons Marc	Tip-top	proto	35.0575 N	-15.0527 W	9.1	195	175.34	175.34
48	491	Bonvin Stephan	Marcel for ever	proto	35.0548 N	-14.8022 W	8	232	181.76	181.76
49	286	Girolet Matthieu	Le roi du matelas	serie	35.461 N	-15.6713 W	10.7	170	185.5	185.5
50	450	Ramon Hugo	Volkswagen sailing experience	serie	35.1239 N	-14.7694 W	6.4	187	186.1	186.1
51	426	Bouw Jelmer	Van uden - sailcenter.nl	serie	35.2634 N	-14.8072 W	10.2	187	192.15	192.15
52	508	Kaczorowski Jaroslaw	Allianz pl	proto	35.342 N	-14.9634 W	8.6	179	192.38	192.38
53	435	Chateau Laurence	Okofen	serie	35.4953 N	-15.2983 W	8.6	179	193.59	193.59
54	281	Barthel Dominique	Conseil general de l’isere	serie	35.4848 N	-15.137 W	7	229	196.19	196.19
55	527	Dubucq Bertrand	Toiles de mayenne	serie	35.5279 N	-15.2548 W	7	201	196.22	196.22
56	473	Guillonneau Jean-Claude	Zerline	serie	35.5337 N	-14.5626 W	12.4	184	212.26	212.26
57	322	Brasseur Pierre	Peintures ripolin	serie	35.8168 N	-15.1897 W	6.4	236	213.47	213.47
58	576	Reinhart Thibault	Les blouses roses - colas	serie	35.8267 N	-15.2003 W	8.6	187	213.83	213.83
59	487	Sannie Matthieu	Orange mini	serie	35.7043 N	-14.8498 W	7.5	189	214.2	214.2
60	626	Marin Julia Gérard	C.n. llanca	serie	35.8784 N	-15.1065 W	8	184	218.43	218.43
61	607	Lobato Francisco	Bpi	serie	35.9266 N	-14.781 W	8	233	227.62	227.62
62	432	Haize Xavier	Fidelia assistance	proto	36.0453 N	-15.0011 W	6.4	242	229.65	229.65
63	517	Marsset Sébastien	Maree haute	serie	36.0471 N	-14.9563 W	5.3	234	230.6	230.6
64	194	Huusela Ari	Dorade	proto	36.3434 N	-15.9072 W	8	187	234.47	234.47
65	165	Lucat Fabrice	Hakuna matata	proto	36 N	-14.4688 W	5.3	227	238.63	238.63
66	483	Longeau Sigrid	2b consulting	serie	36.5289 N	-15.1154 W	7.5	190	254.82	254.82
67	36	Gerckens Jonas	P’tite lola a donf	proto	36.5462 N	-14.9689 W	7.5	238	258.18	258.18
68	498	le Carrou David	Le treport	serie	36.5335 N	-14.8671 W	6.4	242	259.23	259.23
69	569	Delesne Bertrand	Le gal - josset menguy	serie	36.9345 N	-15.3956 W	5.9	240	274.35	274.35
70	457	Bordiec Sébastien	Garcimore	serie	37.1625 N	-14.6547 W	7	222	298.13	298.13
71	317	Daudin Rémi	Deolen	proto	37.392 N	-14.8352 W	8	228	308.23	308.23
72	184	Coubes Thomas	Petit citron vert	proto	37.5378 N	-14.1738 W	6.4	227	327.69	327.69
73	623	Vettorato Maurizzio	Spazio libero	serie	38.2278 N	-14.3738 W	6.4	214	362.8	362.8
74	405	Retif Gael	Okoume	serie	38.242 N	-13.819 W	5.3	203	373.17	373.17
75	287	Gueroult Sophie	Felibre	serie	38.2532 N	-13.7982 W	5.3	217	374.18	374.18
76	332	Mevay Alex	Genasun	serie	38.3713 N	-13.6705 W	8	216	383.1	383.1
77	389	Laurent Emmanuel	Totem - domaine des thomeaux	serie	38.2618 N	-13.3769 W	8.6	213	383.11	383.11
78	507	Monsempes Adrien	Golden apple	serie	38.5782 N	-14.3406 W	7	234	383.2	383.2
79	613	Masekowitz Henrik	Beija mar	serie	38.7335 N	-14.0607 W	5.9	222	396.35	396.35
80	339	Laine Pierrick	Elima	proto	38.7097 N	-13.1991 W	4.3	187	410.91	410.91
81	245	Zurrer Dominik	Ubik 245	serie	38.8653 N	-13.4226 W	5.9	222	414.93	414.93
82	589	Van Esch Koen	k.l.m. flying dutchman	serie	38.6783 N	-12.7778 W	10.2	219	418.39	418.39
83	384	Magne Grégory	Upian.com	serie	38.8042 N	-12.8485 W	5.3	203	423.45	423.45
84	313	de Pontual Bertrand	Colibri	serie	39.0032 N	-13.0202 W	7	213	430.42	430.42
85	328	Guillon-verne Matthieu	Dcns-lino	serie	39.2012 N	-12.3035 W	4.8	208	456.62	456.62
86	642	Donot Frédéric	Surfrider foundation europe	serie	39.438 N	-12.1195 W	5.9	176	473.21	473.21
87	364	Seyrig Jacques-Arnaud	A chacun son cap	serie	39.7961 N	-12.2576 W	4.3	217	488.92	488.92
88	355	Pendibene Andrea	Perle de sueur-wanted sponsor	serie	41.6664 N	-11.0862 W	3.2	191	613.09	613.09
89	520	Valente Jacques	Telekurs twing	serie	42.8837 N	-9.5823 W	2.6	189	709.66	709.66

At 02.11 GMT today Isabelle Joschke and her Degremont-synergie crossed the finish line to take first place on the first leg of Transat 6.50 Charente Maritime-Bahia (the Mini Transat), the first woman ever to have won a leg of this race in its 30 year history. The 1,100 mile long passage took Joschke 5 days, 15 hours, 33 minutes and 30 seconds at an average speed of 8.11 knots, pretty impressive for a 21ft yacht.

Joschke had held the lead of the race since under 24 hours out from La Rochelle and had slowly extended throughout the course of the leg. Yesterday afternoon Joschke had been 43 miles ahead of second placed designer/skipper Sam Manuard on Sitting Bull. Manuard in turn took second this morning at 06:35:25 GMT.

Upon her arrival Joschke commented: "This last day was an unnerving one, but I'm trully happy because it wasn't an easy leg for me. It is for times like this that I sail in the Classe Mini.

"My VHF stoped working the first day and after passing Finisterre without seeing anyone I felt a bit alone in the world. I started getting the positions and weather bulletins two days ago and when I found out that I was in the lead I was extremely happy. I tried to stay at the helm as much as possible because I believe the difference is made there. Anyway this is just leg one. We still have the Atlantic to cross and the Transat will really start in Madeira.

Yves le Blevec on Actual is expected any moment now into Funchal to take third, however there is then a gap of some 35 miles to fourth placed Ronan Deshayes who has pulled up to fourth place with Adrien Hardy on Brossard dropping down to sixth over the last 24 hours. Hardy is currently neck and neck with Slovenian Mini sailor Andrax Mihelin on Adria mobil too in fifth. At present the boats are having to gybe downwind to make it around the east side of Madeira island to get to Funchal on the south side of the island in a 15 knots northeasterly breeze.

Elsewhere in the fleet American Clayton Burkhalter on Acadia, in 18th place, is racing Aussie Nicholas Brennan, the latter racing Phil Sharp's former yacht Rafiki and having dropped from 16th to 19th in the last 24 hours. Conversely 20 miles astern, Tom Braidwood has pulled up two places to 25th.Among the Brits, Andrew Wood on domasofa.com has dropped from 28th to 34th over the last 24 hours while David Rawlinson has gained a place and is now 40th in this 89 boat fleet.

Weather-wise, the wind is expected to remain in the northeast, despite the high pressure system heading northeast towards France and the UK, but over the next 24 hours the wind is forecast to build to 20 knots.

See our pre-start interview with Joschke here