Thomson 1st IMOCA across the line but jury decision remains

The British sailor Alex Thomson has today crossed the finish line of the four-yearly solo Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe transatlantic sailing race, as the first in the IMOCA Class.

However, following an incident last night in which Thomson ran aground in his all-black Hugo Boss boat on the north end of Grande Terre, the focus is on the race jury who will have to decide whether he should receive a time penalty for using his engine.

Thomson crossed the finish line at Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe at 08:10:58 local time (13:10:58CET) after 11 days, 23 hours 10 minutes and 58 seconds at sea.

His elapsed time for the 3,542-nautical mile course could be a new class record for IMOCAs if his finish is allowed to stand.

A total of 123 sailors started the race on November 4 off Saint Malo in Brittany. Thomson is the fourth sailor to finish it after the two ULTIME skippers, Francis Joyon and François Gabart, and the Multi50 class winner Armel Tripon.