Lemonchois cruising towards victory and record winning time

LIONEL LEMONCHOIS calls her half-boat, half-bird, and he has shown exactly why in the past week on the way to a record in the Route du Rhum solo transatlantic race that demonstrates the great leap forward in yacht technology that continues to be made.

Lemonchois was due to bring Gitana 11, his 60ft trimaran, into Point de Guadeloupe at about midnight last night, having left a field of skilled rivals in his wake since departing from St Malo on the previous Sunday.