Francois Gabart and Pascal Bidegorry have won the Transat Jacques Vabre Ultime class race in the first race for the 110ft MACIF trimaran boat they co-captained.

The French pair crossed the finishing line off the coast of Itjai, Brazil, early Saturday morning, 7 November, after setting off from the French port of Le Havre 12 days, 17 hours, 29 minutes and 27 seconds before, and averaging a speed of 20.75 knots.

It was the first win for Gabart in the double-handed transatlantic race and the second time for
Bidegorry who won a decade ago. Gabart has competed in the Vendee Globe and Route du Rhum races on MACIF boats.

Of the win, Gabart said: “It was fantastic! It was our first time sailing in a race together and we worked well as a team in that we knew each other’s skills and we let each other get on with the jobs we were responsible for. We were highly complementary and we worked together successfully. We weren’t worried at the start, but we hadn’t known each other for long.”

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