 Desjoyeaux crossed the Atlantic in eight days eight hours |
France's Michel Desjoyeaux won the Transat single-handed yacht race in a record time on Tuesday. Desjoyeaux crossed the Atlantic from Plymouth to Boston in eight days, eight hours 29 minutes 55 seconds.
The 38-year-old finished at 2229 BST to shatter the former mark of nine days 23 hours, which was set by countryman Francis Joyon in 2000.
The 2001 Vendee Globe winner, onboard the 60ft trimaran Geant, sailed the 2,800 miles at an average of 13.61 knots.
France's Thomas Sodebo finished second, several hours behind Desjoyeaux, with countryman Franck Cammas third.
At 2200 BST on Tuesday, Briton Mike Golding was leading the 60ft monohull fleet ahead of Kiwi Mike Sanderson. Golding had 861 nautical miles still to sail.
A total of 37 boats, including 12 giant trimarans, started the race at 1400 BST on 31 May.
The rest of the multihull fleet will finish in Boston over the next few days, while the Open 60 monohull class leaders are expected to arrive from 12 June onwards.
The Transat began in 1960 as the OSTAR and has become the breeding ground for the world's elite solo sailors.
Britain's Ellen MacArthur won in 2000 before finishing second behind Desjoyeaux in that year's Vendee Globe.
The tough race sees boats battling against the prevailing wind and encountering huge seas, which this year caused two dismastings and one boat, Cheminees Poujoulat-Armor Lux, to lose its keel.
MMIX
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