Ocean Sailboat Race: Safran-Cotten Wins Transat

Race organizers apprise that Gwénolé Gahinet and Paul Meilhat have crossed the finish line in St Barts to win the 12th edition of the Transat AG2R La Mondiale. After 22 days, 6 hours, 17 minutes and 59 seconds of perfectly controlled racing at an average speed of 8.74 knots on the 4,670-miles of the actual racecourse between Concarneau and St Barts, the crew of Safran-Guy Cotten claimed victory.

After 22 days going head to head on the ocean, Gahinet and Meilhat savoured their victory. It was the best possible reward for Gahinet, the young skipper of Safran-Guy Cotten, who was making his debut on the Figaro circuit.

"It's great, I'm really happy with this finish because it was a great race,” Gahinet said on arrival. “Add to that there are lots of people and a paradise island...We believed from the start, but you still have to do it. It’s a close-fought victory and that is what makes so magic. I am particularly happy because this project is the work of a great team and that is reflected in this victory.”

Congratulations to Paul and Gwénolé for this fantastic victory on board Safran-Guy Cotten,” Jean-Paul Herteman, CEO of Safran, said. “Thanks to this great race, Safran’s 67,000 employees have just experienced 22 days of high emotion. We are proud to have, alongside our partner Guy Cotten, trusted two young sailing talents and to have given them the means to achieve their full potential. The success of Gwénolé is an example for all the young people who have joined Safran in recent years.

In St Barts, Nadine Bertholom, President of Guy Cotten, enjoyed a great moment of sport and emotion alongside Gahinet and Meilhat: "Congratulations to Paul and Gwénolé for a race that was exciting until the very end,” Bertholom said. “They brilliantly confirmed the decision that we made to back a young rookie on the Figaro Bénéteau circuit. You could not dream for more: they performed a masterstroke at the first attempt.