Léonard Legrand has capped off a remarkable year with a fourth-place finish on his Ocean Fifty debut in the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe. The skipper of Sodebo Fifty crossed the line in 10 days, 1 hour and 54 minutes, just missing the podium, 8 hours and 44 minutes behind class leader Basile Bourgnon on Edenred.
Legrand, 32, arrived in Pointe-à-Pitre at 09:56 local time (14:56 in Paris), having covered 3,984.64 nautical miles. His average speed over the great circle route was 14.59 knots, climbing to 16.47 knots in real terms once the actual distance sailed was accounted for.
It caps a golden year for the young Frenchman. He was part of Thomas Coville's crew when they claimed the Jules Verne Trophy back in January, and he has now added a strong Route du Rhum result in the demanding Ocean Fifty class to that achievement.
The race itself threw plenty at him. A northerly routing option brought cold conditions for much of the crossing, made worse by a boat offering little shelter from the elements.
"I wondered if it was always like this, or if it was just because it was my first time," Legrand said on arrival. "The race was really unusual with that northern route, and I was cold almost right to the end, especially as the boat wasn't very well protected."
What struck him most, though, was the camaraderie within the fleet.
"What impressed me most was the way the Ocean Fifty skippers looked after each other," he said. "Everyone was sending each other messages, I found that really human and it almost took me out of the competitive mindset. It's a group of athletes who know what they're getting into, where everyone looks out for everyone else. As for me, I had a ball! It wasn't all pleasure, but there were some brilliant moments too. Getting these machines working properly out at sea is hugely satisfying. With Thomas (Coville), it was a lovely reunion at the finish. There's a real club spirit, we support each other. We know we're competing in the same place, and that's really special."
