First! After 17 days, 4 hours and 6 minutes, the Italian sailor AndreMurgestern crossed finish line 12 of the Ostar 2017 in the Bay of Newport / Rhode Island at noon (local time). Mur appeared exhausted but overjoyed and was welcomed by friends, family and the event committee.
Even those who do not speak Italian could hear Mura's laughing "Ostar è finita! Per semper!" (Basically: "End, off, once and for all") it was not easy to ride across the Atlantic again. Already after the Ostar 2013, in which Mur was also the first to cross the finish line, he had assured that he did not want to participate again.
The Italian started with his Class 50 "Vento di Sardegna" in the fleet of 15 single-handed sailors and six two-handed crews on May 29th in Plymouth to cross the Atlantic in regatta mode. A storm low with 60 knots of wind had recently hit the field heavily. Two skippers had to be sidelined, many had to turn around and run to the Azores or Ireland. Mur had weathered at anchor off the US coast. After correcting the time, it took him 24 days, 5 hours and 28 minutes.
The organizer receives on land: AndreMurals first at the finish
In the Gypsy Moth Challenge for the larger one-handed yachts in the field of participants, Conor Fogerty on his Sun Fast 3600 is currently ahead. Fogerty has a few hundred miles to go. Currently he sails at about the same height as the German-Polish duo Uwe Röttgering and AsiPajkowska.
Click here for the race tracker.