Benjamin Dutreux, 8th in the IMOCA Class
Benjamin Dutreux (GUYOT environnement – Water Family) crossed the finish line of the twelfth edition of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe at 13:06:24 UTC on Tuesday. He finished eighth in the IMOCA Class with a race time of 12 days, 23 hours, 51 minutes and 24 seconds.
The sailor from the Vendée region sailed the 3542 theoretical miles of the race course between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre at the speed of xx knots on the Great Circle route. Out on the water, the skipper of GUYOT environnement – Water Family actually sailed 4228.58 miles averaging 13.56 knots. He finished in Pointe-à-Pitre 1d 6hrs 14h 59s after the class winner, Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut).
Dutreux, who finished 9th on the Vendée Globe and now races the boat which was Alex Thomson's former Hugo Boss, was seen by the race medics imediately after finishing. They attended to him as he had reported a fall which resulted in a laceration to his lower back,
"I have seen the doctor. My blood pressure is fine. I was taking a nap and the boat went over in 40-45 kts of wind. I slipped over and cut myself on the edge of the crashbox. There was so much blood, so it was worrying.
I had an incrdible race. The start wasn’t simple but after that I got into the contest. I got blocked by the ridge of high pressure when Justine got away. That was a bit depressing. But that’s what happens in this sport. I kept pushing hard saying I’d grab any opportunity. I extended the lead over those behind, even if I couldn’t catch those in front. This race is very different from the others. A lot of upwind sailing. An incredible pace and after a few days, I said I could not do that for more than ten days. It’s nothing like a Vendée Globe. It’s great, but hard too. This was my first transatlantic crossing on this boat. Downwind she was fantastic. I kept up similar averages then to those in front, which isn’t bad for an older boat. The structure of the boat is fine, which is encouraging for the Vendée Globe.
The boat is only staying here before going to a yard in Barcelona before the Ocean Race. I hope then I’ll know my boat well. Charlie and Thomas proved that knowing your boat well was important."
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