This Thursday, November 24 at17:34:25hrs UTC Italian skipper Alberto Bona on IBSA crossed the finish line in Pointe-à-Pitre in eighth position in Class 40 of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe. His race time is 15 days 06 hours 19 minutes 50 seconds. The IBSA skipper completed the 3,542 mile course between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre at a speed of 9.67 knots on the great circle (direct course). He actually covered 4005.51 miles at an average speed of 10.93 knots. He arrived in Pointe-à-Pitre 1 day 03 hours 11 minutes 10 seconds after the Class40 winner, Yoann Richomme.
Under a typically bright Caribbean sun, this Thursday afternoon, that Italian skipper Alberto Bona reached the pontoon of Pointe-à-Pitre at the end of his race. On his first ever Route du Rhum the solo racer from Turin delivers a solid result and proves the strength and depth of Italian solo and shorthanded offshore racing. He was welcomed at the dock by his Italian compatriot Ambrogio Beccaria, who finished runner up in Class40 yesterday. Forza Italia!
The words of Alberto Bona (IBSA) on his arrival: "I am proud to have brought my boat to the other side"
"I'm very glad it's over. As a race it was wild! I lived like an animal for ten days. To arrive here is a real sense of deliverance. And that little final tour of Guadeloupe is hard. You see Guadeloupe, you think you've arrived, but it's not over, you still have to work! But I'm happy, the new boat went well, I didn't break anything serious. I'm proud to have taken my little boat to the other side and finished with a pretty good result. At first my objective was to stay in touch with the top of the fleet, but it's true that I was only really starting out with this boat which we launched only three months before the start. There was a lot of work, the guys in front really are not hanging about to wait for you! But I found my rhythm, even if things crushed my spirits a bit. During the passage of the second front, I hurt myself a little, a small wound. I lost my wind indicators. These little things add up to make you lose touch. Afterwards, I had to re-motivate myself. I had a little battle with Antoine (Carpentier) for 5th place. I was really into it. It was my second objective, because the top of the fleet had left; and there I tore my spinnaker. Believe me that was a second blow to morale.
Our boats are really very tough in the upwind conditions we had. You really need to have a user manual for our Class40s so that it is not too difficult for the skipper and for the boat. Slamming for ten days like that into the waves, you have to manage things and yourself for the long term.
It was not easy to really enjoy it. That is the question I ask myself. The first objective was to get to the trade winds. And indeed, when we got into the high pressures, we had three really superb days under spinnaker, even if that's where the head of the fleet got away. Then the trade winds strengthened with squalls, it was again very committed and sporty. Now, here I want very simple things: take a shower, eat, see the friends who are here and enjoy life!
Honestly, I'm quite amazed at what Ambrogio did. He raced at such a high level. I too am happy because I finished with a boat that I had not really experience of. Standing up to the big names in the class is an important message. The Italians are here and we work hard!