At 04:05:30 GMT on Friday 3rd April, 45 year-old, Belgian solo sailor, Michel Kleinjans crossed the finish line of the Portimão Global Ocean Race Leg 3 on his 12 year-old Open 40, Roaring Forty, after 41 days, 02 hours, 50 minutes and 30 seconds and 7,500 miles of racing from Wellington, New Zealand.
To the amazement of the double-handed entries, Kleinjans remained in touch with the Class 40 fleet throughout the Southern Ocean, even taking the overall lead of the fleet on Day 6 of racing and only losing ground in the descent from the Pacific Ocean Ice Gate at 45°S to Cape Horn at 56°S.
His balance of fast racing; skilled boat handling and boat preservation; accurate weather analysis took … Details