The next arrivals

VMI in fifth, Team Cowes sixth in monohull division of Transat Jacques Vabre

Sébastien Josse and Isabelle Autissier on VMI arrived in Salvador de Bahia at
7:12:42 GMT this morning to take fifth place in the Open 60 division of the Transat Jacques Vabre. After 17 days 17 hours 12 minutes and 42 seconds of racing the duo crossed the line in a light northeasterly breeze just under 1 day 2 hours after first placed Virbac.

"We did all the manœuvres together," commented Sébastien Josse on his arrival. "In relation to the new monohulls we suffered in the upwind sailing at the start. In such a situation there’s not much point in going the same side. A 60 footer doesn’t manœuvre
like a Figaro boat. You have to ask yourself a question 15 times before going ahead with it, otherwise you soon end up in the red. You can’t sail at 100% all the time. It was important for me to finish ahead of Team Cowes (ex-Kingfisher) which is a reference boat. And then of course Nick Moloney's on board who I did the Trophée Jules Verne with!"

"It was a great race," added French solo sailing legend Isabelle Autissier, "but we could
have skipped the first six days upwind. It was good in the trades though. Sébastien is very good with his decision-making. I’ve really enjoyed getting to
know this type of boat again."

Team Cowes crossed the finish line at 9h 57m 35s (GMT) to take sixth place 1day 4 hours 39 minutes and 30 seconds behind Virbac. "The last couple of days has finished in same way as whole race...4,500 miles quite impressive still fighting out for position after all that time..." commented Sam Davies. "One stage we were 78 miles behind them [ VMI] and thought we'd never catch them up...then 16 hours later we hauled them in to 20 miles and it was really exciting... This is why I do this type of race - it's so close, it's not just about getting from one side of the Atlantic to the other...

Davies Australian co-skipper Nick Moloney gave his impressions: "It's awesome to be here...the welcome just fantastic. It was a tough journey. The first few days were gale-torn, hardcore sailing and we hardly ate at all. We've neen fighting for position in 5th/9th.

From here Moloney will be racing the boat back to Europe in the singlehanded Defi Atlantique race from Salvador to La Rochelle, France. "In 11 days time I turn around and race this boat back on my own - in order to qualify myself for the Vendée Globe - it's a tough chore... Turn around in a really short time, physically fatigued but I'll hopefully get back in fighting fitness to take this on by the 30th of this month..."

Open 60 results

1st Virbac - 16d 15h 18m 5s
2nd Sill - 16d 22h 9m 11s
3rd Ecover - 16d 22h 28m 37s
4th PRB - 17d 8h 16m 44s
5th VMI - 17d 17h 12m 42s
6th Team Cowes - 17d 19h 57m 35s

Thanks to Kate Jennings for her translation help