1.
LV YACHT SAILING UP NEWPORT HARBOUR
0.10

2.
MCU SPECTATORS
0.12

3.
MV TABARLY OUT OF CABIN ONTO DECK
0.29

4.
MV PHOTOGRAPHERS
0.30

5.
MV TABARLY ACROSS DECK UP STEPS ONTO LANDING STAGE
0.50

6.
MCU TABARLY WALKING TOWARDS CAMERA
0.56



Initials PC/N/BHH/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: LIEUTENANT ERIC TABARLY OF THE FRENCH NAVY SAILED HIS 45FT PLYWOOD KETCH 'PEN-DUIK II' PAST BRENTON REEF LIGHT TOWER AT NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, AT 9.56 YESTERDAY MORNING (FRIDAY) AND WON THE SINGLE-HANDED TRANSATLANTIC RACE FROM PLYMOUTH WITH A RECORD-BREAKING PASSAGE FOR SOLO MARINERS OF 27 DAYS, 1 HOUR, 56 MINUTES.

THE SHORT, WIRY SAILOR WITH CURLY HAIR, A MONTH'S GROWTH OF BEARD, AND SUNBURNED NOSE RECEIVED A HERO'S WELCOME. HE SAID HE HAD SAILED JUST A LITTLE SOUTH OF THE GREAT CIRCLE COURSE FROM THE ENGLISH CHANNEL TO NANTUCKET LIGHTSHIP, WHICH HE PASSED AT 10.30 ON THURSDAY MORNING. IT TOOK HIM 231/2 HOURS TO COVER THE LAST 100 MILES.

HE ATE WELL ON THE VOYAGE, HAVING TWO OR THREE MEALS EACH DAY. WHAT DID HE EAT? HE GRINNED WHEN HE REPLIED: "LOTS OF RICE, SOME SPAGHETTI AND TINNED CORNED BEEF."
HIS GREATEST PROBLEM WAS STAYING AWAKE. THE STEERING VANE, ON WHICH HE RELIED TO TAKE CARE OF THE HELM AUTOMATICALLY, BROKE DOWN EIGHT DAYS OUT FROM PLYMOUTH. THEREAFTER HE HAD TO MIND THE HELM HIMSELF, A TASK WHICH CUT HEAVILY INTO HIS SLEEP. HE COULD NEVER SNATCH MORE THAN AN HOUR OR TWO AT A TIME IN HIS BUNK
TABARLY'S 12 FELLOW COMPETITORS WERE STILL AT SEA. THE NEAREST OF THEM, FRANCIS CHICHESTER, OF LONDON, IN 'GIPSY MOTH III', WAS REPORTED TO BE STILL A DAY AND A HALF AWAY LIEUTENANT TABARLY HAS SMASHED CHICHESTER'S 1962 RECORD OF 33 DAYS, 15 HOURS, 7 MINUTES.

THROUGH AN INTERPRETER LIEUTENANT TABARLY, WHO IS A BRETON, SAID: "I HAD EXPECTED TO MAKE THE VOYAGE IN 30 DAYS AND WAS SURPRISED IN DID SO WELL." THREE WEEKS FROM NOW HE EXPECTS TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, SAILING BACK ALINE TO HIS HOME PORT OF LORIENT.

ONE OF THOSE TO GREET HIM WAS M. JEAN SEVELLI, FRENCH CONSUL-GENERAL FOR THE NORTH-EASTERN PART OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO BROUGHT HIM WORD THAT GENERAL DE GAULLE HAD MADE HIM A MEMBER OF THE LEGION OF HONOUR IN RECOGNITION OF HIS FEAT.