Event South West managing director Conrad Humphreys thanks the public for showing such incredible support and warmth to the competitors and sponsors of this year’s race.
Given today by Mike Golding, winner of the 2004 edition, aboard the Royal Navy ship HMS Argyll, the start of The Artemis Transat was followed by 1,000 spectator boats. Heading off towards Eddystone - first race gate of the course - at 9 knots of boats speed, the skippers fought a close battle as soon as the gun went off... Loick Peyron (Gitana Eighty) was the first skipper at the Eddystone Omega race gate, and will be presented with an Omega Seamaster timepiece. But for now, there is an ocean to cross, and the first night at sea might prove tricky.
The Transat 2004 proved, in many ways, to be a classic solo east-west transatlantic race, living up to its reputation as the toughest solo North Atlantic race in the world. But what set the 12th edition of the race apart from other previous editions, was the speeds the 37 skippers covered the 2800 mile course distance. In all classes from the extreme ORMA 60 trimarans to the 50-foot monohulls, the records tumbled.
After being short listed by The Transat race organiser, OC Events Ltd as one of two UK cities bidding for the start of The Transat 2008, Plymouth has succeeded in defeating the close competition to retain this most historic of ocean yacht races formerly known as the OSTAR.
