After 3,200 miles of North Atlantic racing, Bernard Stamm took his Open 60, Cheminées Poujoulat, across the VELUX 5 Oceans Leg 3 finish line outside the harbour wall of Puerto Deportivo marina, Gexto, Bilbao, at 17:13 and 25 seconds European time (16:13 BST, 15:13 UTC) Monday afternoon.
Within an hour of Stamm's finish, Kojiro took second place in the Velux 5 Oceans race
The outstanding Swiss solo sailor takes Leg 3 line honours and first place overall in this edition of the race after leading the fleet throughout a gruelling 29,000 mile circumnavigation of the world.
Fifteen press boats and a throng of spectator craft followed Stamm as the wind dropped and the persistent rain ceased to greet the event's defending champion as Cheminées Poujoulat reached across the east-west aligned finish line in westerly breeze.
Leaving his Open 60 to finish the race under autopilot, Stamm stood on the yacht's starboard side, windmilling his arms and waving to his young family on board the VELUX 5 OCEANS committee boat.
Seconds after crossing the line, Stamm took Cheminées Poujoulat staboard-side-to the committee boat and the 2006-07 VELUX 5 Oceans reigning champion was reunited with his family, his shore team and congratulated by representatives from his sponsor.
Within an hour of Stamm's finish, Kojiro took second place.
As the wind continued to drop this afternoon, Kojiro Shiraishi sailed Open 60 Spirit of Yukoh across the finish line offshore Gexto, Bilbao, to complete Leg 3 of the VELUX 5 OCEANS race at 17:56 and 45 seconds European time (16:56 BST, 15:56 UTC).
Kojiro's tenacious transatlantic crossing ensured that the Japanese skipper rarely let the race leader, Bernard Stamm with Cheminées Poujoulat, more than 100 miles ahead during the 3,200 mile, 11 day 'sprint' to Bilbao. For two yachts to finish within an hour of each other after traversing the North Atlantic is a monumental achievement and a testament to the skill and endurance of both skippers.
Kojiro was welcomed by a watery salute from local fire fighting tugs and hundreds of race fans set off flares from around the lighthouse at the end of the Puerto Deportivo breakwater while the Japanese skipper negotiated a route through the hundreds of spectator boats that have gathered to watch two of the sport's premier solo sailors celebrate the finish of an immense challenge.
During the entire circumnavigation of VELUX 5 Oceans race, Bernard Stamm spent a total of 103 days, 22 hours and 10 minutes at sea, holding a 14 day lead over Kojiro who completed the course after 118 days, 1 hour and 42 minutes at sea.
by media
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10:20 PM Mon 30 Apr 2007 GMT
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