11th May 2008 - Transat fleet leaving Sutton Harbour10am Race day - final preparations as the skippers and shore crew prepare to leave Sutton harbour via the lock gate into Plymouth Sound.The worlds media and press are in full attendance. Supporting the BT team is Dame Ellen MacArthur. Gordon Sparks from the BBC with Artemis Ocean Racing's skipper Jonny Malbon are providing live commentary from the quayside. The pontoons are bustling with activity. Skippers are filmed and interviewed. Michel Desjoyeaux makes final preparations on Foncia. Aviva's shore crew make their final preparations. Dee Caffari makes her final checks on Aviva. Bang on 10am, Brit Air skippered by Armel LeCleac'h is the first IMOCA 60 to leave Sutton Harbour through the lock gate. Armel will finish in second place crossing the line at Boston 12 days 19 hours 28 minutes and 40 seconds after the start. Sebastien Josse leaves on BT. Sebastien lead the race for 7 days until mainsail problems forced him to retire. Dee Caffari waves to the crowd as she leaves on Aviva. Aviva heads for the lock gate. Loick Peyron leaves the harbour on Gitana Eighty. Loick will be the eventual winner crossing the line at Boston 12 days 11 hours 45 minutes and 35 seconds after the start. This is after Loick diverted his route to pick up fellow competitor Vincent Riou who was forced to abandon PRB after hitting a large sea mammal. Armnaud Boissieres leaves with Akena Veranda. Unai Basurko leaves the lock gates by Queen Anne's Barrery on Pakea Bizkaia. Yannick Bestaven slips the moorings on Cervin EnR. Michel Desjoyeaux leaves on Foncia. Five days into the race he is forced to retire after hitting a whale and damaging Foncia's daggerboard. After the IMOCA 60's have left the harbour it is the turn of the Class 40 boats. Alex Bennett leaves the lock gates on Fujifilm. Christophe Coatnoan leaves onboard Group Partouche. Finally all the pontoons are empty. Yann Elies wll finish third on Gererali in 13 days 15 hours 00 minutes and 22 seconds. More information can be found on the official Artemis Transat website. |