Transat: Sailors Burke and Fink finish 13th in the Caribbean
The youngest crew in the field of participants has reached the Caribbean finish in the 16th Transat Jacques Vabre: Hamburg sailors Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink crossed the finish line off Fort-de-France on Martinique on Friday in 13th place in the smallest Class 40 transat class after a furious race to catch up over the past few days. A final lull on the home straight cost the duo another two places after they had moved up nine places within ten hours two days earlier.
"Unfortunately, we were the only ones to get stuck again on the way to the finish after the incredible race to catch up over the last few days," Burke told the German Press Agency after the first coconut milk in the Caribbean harbor. "The race was a battle with highs and lows. But we were by far the youngest team in the field and wanted to show that we could do something. I think we did that quite well."
Five days after the decision in the Imoca class, in which Boris Herrmann and Will Harris took seventh place on "Malizia - Seaexplorer", the Class 40 battle for the top places has now also been decided. 44 Class 40 teams had started the Transat, seven had dropped out by Friday morning.
The overall Transat placings for the Class 40 field were not initially known. The reason for this was that the fleet had to complete their race from Le Havre via Lorient to Martinique in two stages following a heavy storm and a postponement of the start. In order to determine the final results, the effects of jury penalties and reparations from stage one also have to be taken into account when adding up the times.
Burke and Fink celebrated their accomplishment by enjoying their first taste of coconut milk in the Caribbean harbor, despite finishing 13th in the Transat Jacques Vabre's smallest Class 40 transat class after an intense race to catch up. Despite facing challenges, the youngest crew in the Transat demonstrated their skills and determination by significantly improving their position over the course of the race.
Source: www.dpa.com
