Groupama crossed the TJV finish line in Salvador da Bahia this morning (Sunday 16 November) at 0810hrs and 41s GMT, or 0510hrs 41s local time. The trimaran came into view as dawn rose, heralded by champagne coloured clouds and a smooth sea, the nearest to a red carpet Franck Cammas and Franck Proffit will get for their convincing victory in the 6th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre.

For the second year running Groupama has taken the crown, this race the trimaran covered the 4,340m (direct route) in 10 days, 23hrs, 10min and 41s at an average boat speed of 16.49 knots. For Franck Proffit it is his second victory as he was co-skipper with Loick Peyron on Fujicolour which won in 1999. At 0900 Belgacom was on the horizon, due to arrive just over an hour later. Helmed by Jean-Luc Nélias and Loick Peyron, Belgacom had been storming in at high speed and eating into Groupama’s lead all night, and if the race had been any longer the result may have been different.

Another boat feeling the pressure out there is Ecover (Golding/Thompson) in the monohull fleet, as this morning’s 0900 position update shows that Sill (Jourdain/Thomson) has caught back a handful of miles and lies just 4 miles behind the British pair as they converge on the rhumb line into Salvador. With 661m to go, these two have another two days of naval warfare to go, but this morning Sill was clocking 15 knots – 2 knots more boat speed than Ecover, still positioned just to the west?this will be one passionate duel to the end! Virbac leads still with 529m to go and 131m advantage over the two boats behind.