Sebastien Rogues claims leg one

First Protos arrive in Funchal at the conclusion of the Mini Transat's first leg

Sébastien Rogues on Eole Generation-GDF Suez, won the first stage of the Charente-Maritime-Bahia Transat 6.50 in the Proto class. Rogues covered 1148 miles at the average speed of 5.40 knots in 8 days 20 hours 46 minutes and 43 seconds.

Rogues, 25 commented: "This is my greatest victory, because it's the hardest race I've ever done. The more you suffer; the more it’s valuable to win, especially because I believe I raced brilliantly. I have always been around the front of the fleet, but suddenly, off Portugal, when there were ​​40 knots of wind I wondered what I was doing there. What was going to break first - the mast? The hull? And at that moment the race is not your priority, you think about yourself first. We had a very competitive, but quite friendly race with David [Raison] and Jorg [Riechers]. This morning, I wondered where David had gone. I did not dare to ask by VHF and he is the one that asked me "Is that you ahead of me?” What a great moment! The boat is fine. I can leave right now; I just have a few ropes to change."

Rogues competed in the last Mini Transat but was out of the running from the outset when he was responsible for a start line collision for which he was penalised 10 hours. However he made up for it on the second leg to Salvador de Bahia in which he finished eighth. At the end of that race he bought HP Schipman's Lombard design (more on this boat here).

28 minutes and 25 seconds after Rogues, David Raison on his unique scow TeamWork Evolution finished this first leg from La Rochelle to Funchal in 8 days 21 hours 55 minutes and 08 seconds at the average speed of 5.38 knots.

Raison: "I got scared this morning because the mainsail stuck up the mast. I thought I was going to crash the boat on the rocks. I, also, have broken one batten. But, really, after the last 24 hours I was tired. And everything I have been doing was stupid. But my Magnum is remarkable. I could not use her full potential. Because I, the man, was not able to. But she is made to win."

German Jorg Riechers on Mare.de finished third in 8 days 22 hours 19 minutes and 07 seconds, covered the course at an average speed of 5.36 knots.

"When, before the departure from La Rochelle, Bertrand Delesne collided with me, I was furious," recounted the normally mild-mannered Riechers. "I would have killed him if he had been close enough. I remembered that I was forced to withdraw three days into the 2009 race. I did not want it to happen again. For about two seconds, I thought about retiring, but I changed my mind. I laminated from the inside all night and by day I did the outside. Following that, I'm happy with my race. I sailed against great champions and I'm third. It's great. Nothing is definitive yet; there is still the second stage. I got scared like David in the end. I had a small collision, but nothing serious. We will fix it."

Britain's Dan Dytch on Soitec finished in 12th place in the Proto class, eight and a half hours behind the winner. Mention should also be made of Sébastien Picault, who is racing the oldest Proto in the class - formerly Seb Magnen's two time winner Karen Liquid. He finished 10th.

First Proto arrivals