By securing second place in the final offshore leg between Lorient and Galway this Tuesday at 00h 49' 11 (UTC), Groupama 4 takes victory in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012.
Franck Cammas and his crew score a historic victory in this crewed round the world with stopovers, the last French victory dating back to 1986. It was in an evanescent breeze that Franck Cammas and his men completed this final 550-mile oceanic leg, just boat lengths astern of the leg winner, Camper. Groupama 4 thus concludes her circumnavigation of the globe with another podium finish and, most importantly, a historic victory, because over the ten previous editions, the French have only won this legendary event a single time, back in 1985-86 with Lionel Péan.
And yet this final offshore course was anything but relaxing, with a Channel crossing livened up by a powerful south-westerly breeze, then a series of changes in fortune in the many Irish bays to be negotiated along the way. And once again, it was during the last gybe that the final hierarchy was established, Groupama 4 finishing just astern of the New Zealanders, who did a great job and boosted their chances of securing second place in the overall standing! Indeed Franck Cammas and his men have now racked up enough of a lead over their rivals to take outright victory, even before they contest the final In-Port race this coming Saturday...
Thierry Martel, CEO of the Groupama Group
"We are very proud of this exceptional victory which represents a great deal to Groupama today. However, above all else it's a great sense of pride for all the Group's 50,000 representatives and 38,500 colleagues after all the work accomplished by the teams, both at sea and on shore. Indeed it is representative of the tenacity, the faith in an ambitious objective and the ability to rally together and motivate a team, whatever unknown factors come their way.
It is also extremely symbolic in the period we're going through right now, which further adds to the beauty of this win. Thank you to Franck, to his crew and to all the teams onshore for having written a new and fantastic chapter in the history we've been building together for what is now some 15 years. "
Arrivals in Galway (UTC)
1-Camper (Chris Nicholson) Tuesday 3 July at 00h 42' 13
2-Groupama 4 (Franck Cammas) 2hr 49' 11 astern
...
(Provisional) overall standing after nine oceanic legs and nine In-Port races
1-Groupama 4 (Franck Cammas) : 2+20+2+18+5+24+2+30+4+20+6+20+5+25+6+30+6+25= 250 points
2-Camper (Chris Nicholson) : 4+25+5+24+4+18+3+15+6+15+5+25+3+10+4+25+5+30 = 226 points
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