OGR - L’Esprit d’équipe 2nd

French Whitbread Winner L’Esprit d’équipe Takes Second In Line Honours in McIntyre Ocean Globe!
Misses Out on Snatching Leg 4 IRC from Pen Duick VI by just 1 hr 54 Mins.

At 20:27 UTC 13th April French ex-Whitbread winner L’Esprit d’équipe FR (85) 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. Second French yacht across the line in 48!!
The 1985 Whitbread winner just missed out on taking 1st in IRC from French rival Pen Duick VI FR (14) 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 light had faded as the former Whitbread winner L’Esprit d’équipe FR (85) 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 at 20:27 UTC 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 FR (14), 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.

Beaming with pride, skipper Lionel explained what completing the circumnavigation on such an iconic yacht means to him and his crew.

“Oh yes I’m exhausted but I’m very, very happy to be here. It’s been a long project. But we have achieved everything we wanted to. The crew worked so hard to achieve this result. I think tomorrow I will feel it all for real. ” – LIONEL REGNIER, SKIPPER OF L’ESPRIT D’ÉQUIPE