Alex Pella, the Spanish skipper of Tales 2 Santander arrived in Pointe-à-Pitre on Wednesday, November 19 at 7:47:08 a.m. He will have spent 16 days 17 hours 47 minutes and 8 seconds at sea covering 4,336 miles at an average speed of 10.79 knots. She also set the reference time as she beat Thomas Ruyant, and her 2010 score of 1 day 05 hours 23 minutes and 9 seconds.
What a great gift for the man who celebrated his 42nd birthday on November 5, the day of the departure of this 10th anniversary of his birth th issue of the Route du Rhum . Alex Pella, who enjoys a fine reputation in the world of ocean racing, was a favourite from the start. When one of the other fetish racers in the Class40, Sébastien Rogues, was forced to retire, the Spanish skipper then joined the leading duo formed by Thibaut Vauchel Camus and Kito de Pavant. In spite of the damage suffered, he took the lead of the fleet on 11th November and established a distance of over 100 miles with his close rivals.
When he arrived on the island, he confided " It was a very, very good race! The Class40, it's a nice series, there are a lot of people, there's always the fight in front, in the middle, behind. I enjoyed myself, I had a lot of fun. To win a race, you have to finish it and until I crossed the line I was not quiet. I arrived without a prop this morning, I cut the prop, it can happen at the last moment. I had a good feeling at the start, I've got a rudder fuse that blew just as I was about to start, it was a bit hot. Then I caught up, I came second in Fréhel, and I saw that I had good speed, and that I could be ahead, but I repeat myself, to win a race, you have to finish it. I was watching Kito (de Pavant) a lot, because he sailed really well, he may have had a speed deficit, but he was always in the right place. I was happy when we were together, 1st and 2nd, it was great, we were playing the placements. Thibaut (Vauchel-Camus) surprised me, I don't know him. He was always fast."
