- At 20:27 UTC 13 April French ex-Whitbread winner L’Esprit d’équipe crossed the Royal Yacht Squadron finish line, Cowes after 39 days at sea and 6768 nm sailed, taking second-in-line honours for Leg 4.
- The 1985 Whitbread winner just missed out on taking 1st in IRC from French rival Pen Duick VI by 1hr and 54 mins.
- Skipper Lionel Regnier and crew were greeted by emotional family and friends clearly overjoyed to welcome the L’Esprit d’équipe, who battled non-stop to top the Leg 4 leaderboard.
The former Whitbread winner L’Esprit d’équipe FRA from LES SABLES D’OLONNE France took second-in-line honours for Leg 4 of the McIntyre Ocean Globe Race, crossing the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes after 39 days of racing from Punta del Este, Uruguay to the UK.
Skipper Lionel Regnier and his seven crews fought extremely hard down to the last mile in the knowledge they were in the running to take first in IRC for Leg 4 from Pen Duick VI FRA, who crossed the line two days ago.
But it was not to be, missing out on snatching the coveted IRC title by just 1 hr 54 mins. They now sit second on the IRC leaderboard for Leg 4.
It was during this leg of the OGR that L’Esprit d’équipe proved what she is capable of after slipping in the rankings on previous races.
From the offset on March 5th in Punta del Este, the distinctive yacht was at the top of the fleet in a challenging leg due to fickle wind. At times leading the fleet. But she lost miles in the last week surrendering the lead to Pen Duick VI.
Hailing from and sponsored by the sailing town of Les Sables-d’Olonne in West France, the stylish yacht sailed in the 1981 Whitbread under the name 33 Export.
She abandoned the race after dismasting in the Indian Ocean. Skippered by Lionel Péan, she would go on to win the 1985 Whitbread, securing her place in sailing history alongside the legends.
She would see success again winning her class in the 1989 race, with Patrick Tabarly leading the charge.
