POINTE-A-PITRE, Guadeloupe (AP) French sailor Loick Peyron won the Route du Rhum trans-Atlantic race in record time, crossing the finish line Monday more than two hours faster than the previous mark.
Ninety-one boats set off on Nov. 2 on a 3,542-nautical mile (6,560-kilometer) course between the French port city of Saint-Malo and the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.
Peyron's time of 7 days, 15 hours, 8 minutes, 32 seconds aboard Banque Populaire VII eclipsed countryman Lionel Lemonchois' time of 7 days, 17 hours, 19 minutes, 6 seconds, which was set in 2006.
The 54-year-old Peyron's previous best finish was fifth. He abandoned the race three times.
Peyron was also skipper of the 14-man Banque Populaire crew, which holds the Jules Verne Trophy.
