MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Swiss sailor wins Around Alone.

Seven and a half months of racing, without counting the preparations Swiss sailor Bernard Stamm has won the final leg and taken an overall win in the Around Alone.

He always said: "I'm racing to win" And now the deed is done. At 13h 20' 12" CET today, Bobst Group/Armor Lux was the first to cross the finishing line of the final leg of Around Alone between Salvador de Bahia (Brazil) and Newport RI on the eastern seaboard of the United States. The first of May, Labour Day, an ideal time to celebrate a victory, where nothing was down to luck or chance, but to some really hard work.

The work began in a small port in the south-west of Brittany six years ago. Bernard Stamm rolled up his sleeves to build all by himself his Open 60. While his arms and legs haven't stopped since, his mind has been working all out too. Designing a boat and building it is one thing. Making it go and moreover putting it into the lead is another. Bernard never lost sight of his goal: Winning.

Bobst Group/Armor Lux, launched in 2000, continued to evolve right up to the start of Around Alone on the 13 September last year in Newport. He won the first from New York to Torbay in England, the second leg from Torbay to Cape Town and the third leg from Cape Town to Tauranga in New Zealand. And although he was first over the finish line on the fourth leg from Tauranga to Salvador de Bahia in Brazil he was second in the table because of a 48 hour penalty because of a stopover in the Falklands to repair his keelboard.

For the moment, Bernard Stamm is savouring his win(s). It was with the mainsail fully raised that he entered Newport Bay. The sun was coming up. The southerly wind was blowing at 12 knots and pushed Bobst Group/Armor Lux along towards the finishing line. A few dozen craft accompanied the winner. Swiss bells were ringing and it was the Swiss consul in New York, Raymond Lorretan, who fired the cannon when Bobst Group/Armor Lux crossed the line. Clearly moved by these celebrations, Bernard was beaming. He waved to all his partners, friends and journalists, who were there to welcome him. Bernard has a tattoo on his right arm «Born to be a sailor». On the left, there is a peacock, a copy of a Picasso, perhaps because you have to be a bit of an artist too to be a real sailor.