At 05.18 am and 55 sec (11.18 am and 55 sec, French time) this Tuesday, July 4th, as dawn rose, Sodebo Ultim', conducted by Thomas Coville and his crew (Jean-Luc Nélias, Vincent Riou, Billy Besson, Loïc Le Mignon, Thierry Briend), crossed the Centennial Transat finish line in New York Bay as part of THE BRIDGE, and obtained the third position. The six men on board travelled 3549 miles at an average speed of 17.04 knots.
Greeted by a lavish sunrise in the New York sky in the peacefulness of the Independence Day, the ultimate trimaran, holder of the solo around-the-world record, gave a great show and breathtaking pictures in front of the Manhattan skyscrapers and the statue of Liberty. Thomas Coville and his crew have then rallied the Brooklyn docks to evacuate Thierry Briend, suffering from a head injury following a fall which occurred 36 hours earlier as he stood in the maxi-multihull on a choppy sea. Back ashore, Thierry Briend, who was well looked after by his five accomplices and whose latest news are reassuring, is well cared for.