More astro training required

As errant Mini sailor Alexandre Scrizzi is found alive, well, but off course

Fears for Alexandre Scrizzi and his Series class yacht Phoenix were allayed yesterday. The French Mini sailor had alarmed race officials when on Sunday he over shot the finish at Salvador de Bahia and continued south. Position updates yesterday afternoon indicated Phoenix being some 310 miles southeast of the Brazilian finish port.

Fortunately yesterday afternoon the Brazilian navy rendez-voused with Phoenix and her skipper was found to be both on board and alive. He was not 'doing a Moitessier'. The reason for being so far off course was that he said he had not had a working GPS on board since the northern hemisphere and thought he was 400 miles further north than he actually was.

Phoenix is now being accompanied by the naval vessel to Salvador, where his ETA is Thursday morning local time.

The organisers of the Charente Maritime-Bahia Transat 6.50 offered their thanks to all of the Brazilian military and rescue services who since the weekend have assisted them in the search for Scrizzi.