The Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race (STAR) is an east-to-west yacht race across the North Atlantic. When inaugurated in 1960, it was the first single-handed ocean yacht race; it is run from Plymouth in England to Newport, Rhode Island in the United States, and has generally been held on a four yearly basis.
| First held | 1960 |
|---|---|
| Organizer | Royal Western Yacht Club |
| Type | Single-handed sailing Yacht racing |
| Start | Plymouth, England |
| Finish | Newport, Rhode Island, United States |
| Website | rwyc www |
The race is organised by the Royal Western Yacht Club and was originally sponsored by the UK-based newspaper The Observer, and known as the Observer Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race; due to changes in sponsorship, it has been known as the CSTAR, Europe 1 STAR, and the Europe 1 New Man STAR. After the 2000 edition, the RWYC took the decision to split the race into two events, one using smaller boats and intended for amateurs and young sailors, the other for professionals. The amateur event was raced as The OSTAR ("Original STAR") from 2005.[1] The professional version is raced as The Transat starting in 2004.
The 2020 races were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]
History
The Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race was conceived by Herbert "Blondie" Hasler in 1956. The whole idea of a single-handed ocean yacht race was a revolutionary concept at the time, as the idea was thought to be extremely impractical; but this was especially true given the adverse conditions of their proposed route — a westward crossing of the north Atlantic Ocean, against the prevailing winds.
Hasler sought sponsorship for a race, but by 1959, no-one had been prepared to back the race. Finally, though, The Observer newspaper provided sponsorship, and in 1960, under the management of the Royal Western Yacht Club of England, the Observer Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race, or OSTAR, was on.[3][4][5]
The first run of the race was a great success; since then, it has run every four years, and has become firmly established as one of the major events on the yachting calendar. The name of the event has changed several times due to changes in main sponsor; it has been known as the CSTAR, Europe 1 STAR, and the Europe 1 New Man STAR. The professional event has been run as The Transat from 2004, while the race smaller boats is run as the OSTAR. Throughout its history, however, the essentials of the race have remained the same. It has also become known as a test-bed for new innovations in yacht racing; many new ideas started out in "the STAR".
The race
The course of the race is westwards against the prevailing winds of the north Atlantic over a distance of around 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km). The first edition of the race was from Plymouth United Kingdom to New York City; the editions from 1964 to 2000 were sailed from Plymouth to Newport, Rhode Island; the 2004 event sailed from Plymouth to Boston, Massachusetts.[5][6][7]
The actual course steered is the decision of the individual skipper, and the result of the race can hinge on the chosen route:[8]
- Rhumb line
- The shortest route on paper — i.e. on a Mercator projection chart — is a route which steers a constant compass course, known as the rhumb line route; this is 2,902 nautical miles. This lies between 40 degrees and 50 degrees north, and avoids the most severe weather.
- Great circle
- The actual shortest route is the great circle route, which is 2,810 nautical miles (5,200 km). This goes significantly farther north; sailors following this route frequently encounter fog and icebergs.
- Northern route
- It is sometimes possible to avoid headwinds by following a far northern route, north of the great circle and above the track followed by depressions. This is a longer way, though, at 3,130 nautical miles (5,800 km), and places the sailor in greater danger of encountering ice.
- Azores route
- A "softer" option can be to sail south, close to the Azores, and across the Atlantic along a more southerly latitude. This route can offer calmer reaching winds, but is longer at 3,530 nautical miles (6,540 km); the light and variable winds can also lead to slow progress.
- Trade wind route
- The most "natural" way to cross the Atlantic westward is to sail south to the trade winds, and then west across the ocean. However, this is the longest route of all, at 4,200 nautical miles (7,780 km).
This variety of routes is one of the factors which makes an east-to-west north Atlantic crossing interesting, as different skippers try different strategies against each other. In practice, though, the winning route is usually somewhere between the great circle and the rhumb line.
The OSTAR Edition
The OSTAR, 1960
The Observer Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race of 1960 was a milestone in sailing, being the first single-handed ocean yacht race. One hundred and fifteen people expressed an interest in the race, and there were eight entries, of whom five actually took part. Only four were at the starting line on June 11, however, as Jean Lacombe arrived late and started three days after the others. All of the boats were monohulls; this was to be the only edition of the race without multihulls. It was also the only edition of the race sailed from Plymouth to New York City.
The skippers tried a variety of routing strategies. Hasler chose the northern route, to avoid the depressions; Chichester and Lewis stayed closer to the great circle; Lacombe and Howells chose more southerly routes. Hasler sailed his junk-rigged Jester; Chichester had by far the longest boat, his 40-foot (12 m) Gipsy Moth III, and this was reflected in the results:[4][5]
| Pos. | Skipper | Boat | Class | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Francis Chichester (GBR) | Gipsy Moth III | Mono-40 | 40 days 12 hours 30 min |
| 2 | Blondie Hasler (GBR) | Jester | Mono-26 | 48 days 12 hours 02 min |
| 3 | David Lewis (GBR) | Cardinal Vertue | Mono-25 | 55 days 00 hours 50 min |
| 4 | Val Howells (GBR) | EIRA | Mono-25 | 62 days 05 hours 50 min |
| 5 |  Jean Lacombe (FRA) | Cap Horn | Mono-21.5 | 74 days ?? hours ?? min |
The race had a huge impact on ocean sailing, and in particular solo sailing. Hasler's wind-vane self-steering gear revolutionised short-handed sailing, and his other major innovation — using a junk rig for safer and more manageable shorthanded sailing — influenced many subsequent sailors.[9][10]
The OSTAR, 1964
Thirteen competitors started the next edition of the race in 1964, which by now was firmly established on the racing scene. All of the five original competitors entered, and all five improved their original times; but the show was stolen by French naval officer Éric Tabarly, who entered a custom-built 44-foot (13 m) plywood ketch, Pen Duick II. The days of racers sailing the family boat were numbered following Tabarly's performance, for which he was awarded the Legion of Honour by president Charles de Gaulle. It is also noteworthy that Tabarly and Jean Lacombe were the only French entrants in this race; Tabarly's success was instrumental in popularising the sport in France, the country which in future years would come to dominate it.
This was to be the year in which several future trends were established. Multihulls made their first appearance — sailing in the same class as the other boats; and the race featured the use of radio, for the first time, by several competitors who gave daily progress reports to their sponsors.[4][6][11]
| Pos. | Skipper | Boat | Class | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Éric Tabarly (FRA) | Pen Duick II | Mono-44 | 27 days 03 hours 56 min |
| 2 | Francis Chichester (GBR) | Gipsy Moth III | Mono-40 | 29 days 23 hours 57 min |
| 3 | Val Howells (GBR) | Akka | Mono-35 | 32 days 18 hours 08 min |
| 4 | Alec Rose (GBR) | Lively Lady | Mono-36 | 36 days 17 hours 30 min |
| 5 | Blondie Hasler (GBR) | Jester | Mono-26 | 37 days 22 hours 05 min |
| 6 |  Bill Howell (AUS) | Stardrift | Mono-30 | 38 days 03 hours 23 min |
| 7 | David Lewis (GBR) | Rehu Moana | Cat-40 | 38 days 12 hours 04 min |
| 8 | Mike Ellison (GBR) | Ilala | Mono-36 | 46 days 06 hours 26 min |
| 9 | Jean Lacombe (FRA) | Golif | Mono-22 | 46 days 07 hours 05 min |
| 10 | Bob Bunker (GBR) | Vanda Caelea | Mono-25 | 49 days 18 hours 45 min |
| 11 | Mike Butterfield (GBR) | Misty Miller | Cat-30 | 53 days 00 hours 05 min |
| 12 | Geoffrey Chaffey (GBR) | Ericht 2 | Mono-31 | 60 days 11 hours 15 min |
| 13 | Derek Kelsall (GBR) | Folatre | Tri-35 | 61 days 14 hours 04 min |
| 14 |  Axel Nymann Pedersen (DEN) | Marco Polo | Mono-28 | 63 days 13 hours 30 min |
| RET | Robin McCurdy (GBR) | Tammie Norie | Mono-40 | retired |
The OSTAR, 1968
The race was by now acquiring a reputation for pushing forward the technology of ocean sailing, and the 1968 edition featured the first use of computer-based weather routing. A far cry from today's laptop-laden yachts, this consisted of a land-based mainframe computer, the English Electric KDF9, linked by radio to Geoffrey Williams in his boat Sir Thomas Lipton. Although outside private routing advice of this kind is no longer permitted in most "unassisted" races, it is now routine for ocean sailors to do similar analyses using their on-board computers to process public weather information.
Williams created another story by his use of the "shortcut" through the Nantucket Shoal. This dangerous route was supposed to be illegal, but due to an error the race instructions required skippers only to keep south of Nantucket, instead of Nantucket Light. Williams successfully navigated the treacherous route in a gale. Gales were a major feature of the race, with a large storm on the 11th of June, and Hurricane Brenda, both contributing to the large number of retired and abandoned boats. One casualty was Éric Tabarly, aboard his new trimaran Pen Duick IV, who collided with a cargo and sailed back to England with structural damage. Another was the first woman to have taken part, the West German Edith Baumann, aboard her 39-foot trimaran "Koala III".[12]
Although won by a monohull, this race saw the multihulls firmly established on the scene. Thirteen of the thirty-five boats entered were multihulls, led by the controversial proa Cheers; many observers felt that a proa was entirely unsuitable for ocean sailing, but she made a fast time along the Azores route.[4][13]
| Pos. | Skipper | Boat | Class | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geoffrey Williams (GBR) | Sir Thomas Lipton | Mono-57 | 25 days 20 hours 33 min |
| 2 |  Bruce Dalling (RSA) | Voortrekker | Mono-50 | 26 days 13 hours 42 min |
| 3 |  Tom Follett (USA) | Cheers | Proa-40 | 27 days 00 hours 13 min |
| 4 | Leslie Williams (GBR) | Spirit of Cutty Sark | Mono-53 | 29 days 10 hours 17 min |
| 5 | Bill Howell (AUS) | Golden Cockerel | Cat-42.5 | 31 days 16 hours 24 min |
| 6 | Brian Cooke (GBR) | Opus | Mono-32 | 34 days 08 hours 23 min |
| 7 | Martin Minter-Kemp (GBR) | Gancia Girl | Tri-42 | 34 days 13 hours 15 min |
| 8 | N.T.J. Bevan (GBR) | MYTH OF MALHAM | Mono-40 | 36 days 01 hours 41 min |
| 9 | B. de Castelbajac (FRA) | MAXINE | Mono-34.5 | 37 days 13 hours 47 min |
| 10 | Jean-Yves Terlain (FRA) | MAGUELONNE | Mono-35 | 38 days 09 hours 10 min |
| 11 | N.S.A. Burgess (GBR) | DOG WATCH | Mono-27 | 38 days 12 hours 13 min |
| 12 | Andre Foezon (FRA) | SYLVIA 11 | Mono-36 | 40 days 00 hours 16 min |
| 13 |  B. Enbom (SWE) | FIONE | Mono-20 | 40 days 14 hours 13 min |
| 14 |  Claus Hehner (GER) | MEX | Mono-37 | 41 days 10 hours 46 min |
| 15 | Revd. Stephen Packenham (GBR) | ROB ROY | Mono-32.5 | 42 days 03 hours 49 min |
| 16 | Colin Forbes (GBR) | STARTLED FAUN | Tri-33 | 45 days 10 hours 08 min |
| 17 | B. Rodriguez (USA) | AMISTAD | Tri-25 | 47 days 18 hours 05 min |
| 18 | Mike Richey (GBR) | JESTER | Mono-26 | 57 days 10 hours 40 min |
| DSQ | Ake Matteson (SWE) | GOODWIN II | Mono-19.5 | DSQ -- |
| RET | Éric Tabarly (FRA) | PEN DUICK IV | Tri-67 | RET -- |
| RET | Eric Willis (GBR) | COILA | Tri-50 | ABN -- |
| RET |  Alex Carozzo (ITA) | SAN GIORGIO | Cat-53 | -- RET -- |
| RET | David Pyle (GBR) | ATLANTIS III | Mono-26.5 | -- RET -- |
| RET | W. Wallin (SWE) | WILECA | Mono-27 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Comdt. B. Waquet (FRA) | TAMOURE | Tri-26 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Edith Bauman (GER) | KOALA III | Tri-39.5 | -- ABN -- |
| RET | Robert Wingate (GBR) | ZEEVALK | Mono-39.5 | -- RET -- |
| RET | M.J. Pulsford (GBR) | WHITE GHOST | Tri-34 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Egon Heinemann (GER) | AYE-AYE | Mono33 | -- RET -- |
| RET |  Guy Piazzini (SUI) | GUNTAR III | Mono-41 | -- RET -- |
| RET | A. Munro (GBR) | OCEAN HIGHLANDER | Cat-45 | -- RET -- |
| RET | L. Paillard (FRA) | LA DELIRANTE | Mono-36 | -- RET -- |
| ABN | Marc Cuiklinski (FRA) | AMBRIMA | Mono | 37—ABN -- |
| ABN | Joan de Kat (FRA) | YAKSHA | Tri-50 | -- ABN -- |
| RET | Alain Gliksman (FRA) | RALPH | Mono-58 | - |
The 17 non-finishers included Éric Tabarly on Pen Duick IV, and Alex Carozzo of Italy on San Giorgio. Carozzo went on to compete in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, the other major single-handed sailing event of the year.
The OSTAR, 1972
Tabarly's trimaran Pen Duick IV made a return to the race in 1972, sailed by Alain Colas, at the head of a strong French contingent; of the 55 entrants, 12 were French, and the top three finishers were all French.
The average boat size was increasing rapidly, as longer boats are capable of higher speeds. A sign of the changing times was that the rules had a minimum size, to deter unsafe entries, but no maximum; and so the star of the monohull fleet was Vendredi Treize (Friday the 13th), a 128-foot (39 m) three-masted schooner — a huge boat for a single-hander. However, the race was now dominated by the multihulls, with Colas winning on a trimaran and four of the top six finishers being multis.
The 55 entrants included the first female finishers, two French and one Polish. Sir Francis Chichester, now 70 years old, sailed with the fleet in Gipsy Moth V; however, he was unable to complete what was to be his last race, and he died later the same year. Peter Crowther made the longest crossing in the race's history while sailing the oldest boat, the 66-year-old gaff cutter Golden Vanity; his crossing took 88 days.[4][14]
The top ten finishers:
| Pos. | Skipper | Boat | Class | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alain Colas (FRA) | Pen Duick IV | Tri-70 | 20 days 13 hours 15 min |
| 2 | Jean-Yves Terlain (FRA) | Vendredi Treize | Mono-128 | 21 days 05 hours 14 min |
| 3 | Jean-Marie Vidal (FRA) | Cap 33 | Tri-53 | 24 days 05 hours 40 min |
| 4 | Brian Cooke (GBR) | British Steel | Mono-59 | 24 days 19 hours 28 min |
| 5 | Tom Follett (USA) | Three Cheers | Tri-46 | 27 days 11 hours 04 min |
| 6 | Gerard Pesty (FRA) | Architeuthis | Tri-55 | 28 days 11 hours 55 min |
| 7 | Martin Minter-Kemp (GBR) | Strongbow | Mono-65 | 28 days 12 hours 46 min |
| 8 | Alain Gliksman (FRA) | Toucan | Mono-34.5 | 28 days 12 hours 54 min |
| 9 | Franco Faggioni (ITA) | Sagittario | Mono-50.5 | 28 days 23 hours 05 min |
| 10 | James Ferris (USA) | Whisper | Mono-53.5 | 29 days 11 hours 15 min |
| 11 | Marc Linski (FRA) | ISLES DU FRIOUL | Mono-48 | 30 days 02 hours 45 min |
| 12 |  Krzysztof Baranowski (POL) | POLONEZ | Mono-45 | 30 days 16 hours 55 min |
| 13 | Mike McMullen (GBR) | BINKIE II | Mono-32 | 31 days 18 hours 10 min |
| 14 | Marie-Claude Fauroux (FRA) | ALOA VII | Mono-35 | 32 days 22 hours 51 min |
| 15 | Lt. Col. Jock Brazier (GBR) | FLYING ANGEL | Mono-46 | 33 days 09 hours 21 min |
| 16 | Joel Charpentier (FRA) | WILD ROCKET | Mono-63 | 34 days 13 hours 38 min |
| 17 | Yves Olivaux (FRA) | ALOA I | Mono35 | 34 days 17 hours 30 min |
| 18 | Guy Piazzini (FRA) | CAMBRONNE | Mono-45.5 | 35 days 10 hours 24 min |
| 19 | Pierre Chassin (FRA) | CONCORDE | Mono-43 | 36 days 01 hours 19 min |
| 20 | Bruce Webb (GBR) | GAZELLE | Mono-47.5 | 36 days 02 hours 07 min |
| 21 | John Holtom (GBR) | LA BAMBA OF MERSEA | Mono-34 | 36 days 04 hours 30 min |
| 22 | Lt. Guy Hornet (GBR) | BLUE SMOKE | Mono-26 | 36 days 21 hours 26 min |
| 23 | Wolf-Dietrich Kirchner (GER) | WHITE DOLPHIN | Mono-32 | 38 days 07 hours 17 min |
| 24 | Jock McLeod (GBR) | RON GLAS | Mono-47 | 38 days 09 hours 50 min |
| 25 | Richard Clifford (GBR) | SHAMAAL | Mono-25.5 | 38 days 10 hours 30 min |
| 26 | R. Lancy Burn (USA) | BLUE GIPSY | Mono-28 | 39 days 08 hours 30 min |
| 27 | Philip Weld (USA) | TRUMPETER | Tri-44 | 39 days 13 hours 25 min |
| 28 | Claus Hehner (GER) | MEX | Mono-35 | 40 days 08 hours 23 min |
| 29 | Ambrogio Fogar (ITA) | SURPRISE | Mono-38 | 41 days 04 hours 45 min |
| 30 | Capt. P. Chilton R.N. (GBR) | MARY KATE OF ARUN | Mono-38 | 41 days 17 hours 17 min |
| 31 | Lt Cdr (SCC) Eric Sumner RNR (GBR) | FRANCETTE | Mono-25 | 43 days 09 hours 38 min |
| 32 | Zbigniew Puchalski (POL) | MIRANDA | Mono-39 | 45 days 10 hours 05 min |
| 33 | Heiko Krieger (GER) | TINIE | Mono26.5 | 46 days 15 hours 30 min |
| 34 | Jerry Cartwright (USA) | SCUFFLER III | Mono-32.5 | 49 days 02 hours 00 min |
| 35 | Christopher Elliott (GBR) | LAURIC | Mono-34 | 51 days 14 hours 33 min |
| 36 | Andrew Spedding (GBR) | SUMMERSONG | Mono-28 | 51 days 23 hours 05 min |
| 37 | David Blagden (GBR) | WILLING GRIFFIN | Mono-19 | 52 days 11 0hours 6 min |
| 38 | Teresa Remiszewska (POL) | KOMODOR | Mono-42 | 57 days 03 hours 18 min |
| 39 | Mike Richey (GBR) | JESTER | Mono-26 | 58 days 08 hours 18 min |
| 40 | Anne Michailof (FRA) | PS | Mono-30.5 | 59 days 06 hours 12 min |
| TLE |  Richard Konkolski (CZE) | NIKE | Mono-22.5 | 60 days 13 hours 12 min |
| TLE | Martin Wills (GBR) | CASPER | Mono-31 | 63 days 22 hours 00 min |
| TLE | Peter Crowther (GBR) | GOLDEN VANITY | Mono-38 | 88days |
| ABN | Bob Miller (GBR) | MERSEA PEARL | Mono-43 | Boat Abandoned |
| RET | Carlo Mascheroni (ITA) | CHICA BOBA | Mono-41 | -- RET -- |
| RET | H.G. Mitchell (GBR) | TULOA | Mono-33 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Bill Howell (AUS) | TAHITI BILL | Cat-43 | -- RET -- |
| RET |  Gerard Dikstra (NED) | SECOND LIFE | Mono-71 | -- RET -- |
| RET |  Osca Debra (BEL) | OLVA II | Mono-46.5 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Sir Francis Chichester (GBR) | GIPSY MOTH V | Mono-57 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Murray Sayle (AUS) | LADY OF FLEET | Cat-41 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Bob Salmon (GBR) | JUSTA LISTANG | Mono-25 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Eugene Riguidel (FRA) | ONYZ | Mono-43 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Sqd. Ldr A. Barton (GBR) | BRISTOL FASHION | Mono-24.5 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Eduardo Guzzetti (ITA) | NAMAR IV | Mono-32.5 | -- RET -- |
There were eleven retirements, and one boat was abandoned.
The OSTAR, 1976
1976 saw the biggest edition of the race, in all senses. 125 boats entered, and the 128-foot (39 m) Vendredi Treize returned as ITT Oceanic. However, the all-time size record for the race, and probably for any single-hander, was set by Alain Colas, sailing the 236-foot (72 m) four-masted schooner Club Mediterranée.[15] Although about the same overall length as HMS Victory (which had a crew of 820),[16] this modern boat was expressly designed for easy handling.
At the start of the race, during login, in it was discovered that one of the entrants, David Sandeman, was under age at 17 years and 176 days, which was 189 days or 6 months under the youngest age permitted at the time. He had entered "Sea Raider", a 35 ft monohull which had very carefully been equipped and prepared in Jersey, Channel Islands for this race. David was not allowed to officially start, but he crossed the line unofficially after the last boat had left. Halfway across the Atlantic a Russian trawler ran into him in the dark during a storm after being warned with a red spotlight. The Russian crew never saw him, but their ship damaged the starboard mast halyards, which required substantial work by the Russian crew to repair the boat sufficiently to allow it to continue. David Sandeman was later listed in the Guinness Book of Records as being the youngest person to single-handedly sail the Atlantic between Jersey, UK, and Rhode Island.
The race was organised into three classes: Jester (J): up to 38 ft (12 m); Gipsy Moth (G): 38 to 65 ft (20 m); and Penduick (P): over 65 ft, unlimited. Monohulls and multihulls were not segregated. It is notable that the second-placed boat overall was a trimaran of the smallest class, and perhaps even more so that third place went to a monohull from the same class.
Two major depressions hit the race and caused a record fifty retirements. Yvon Fauconnier and Jean-Yves Terlain, two of the top favorites, lost their boats due to structural failure and were rescued by the same Soviet cargo ship. Tony Bullimore was rescued by a passing ship after his boat caught fire. The race also suffered two fatalities, the first in its history. Englishman Mike Flanagan,[17] brother of renowned sculptor Barry Flanagan,[18] was lost overboard from Galloping Gael. A particularly sad story was that of Mike McMullen, whose wife Lizzie was electrocuted and killed while helping him to prepare Three Cheers for the race, just two days before the start. Believing that Lizzie would have wanted him to go on, he started the race, but was never seen again.
Colas in Club Mediterranée was plagued by halyard problems; although 330 miles (531 km) in the lead, he was forced to pull into Halifax, Nova Scotia to make repairs, and was penalised 10% of his elapsed time (58 hours) for accepting help, which dropped him from second to fifth place. The race went to Éric Tabarly, whose surprise win on the 73-foot (22 m) Pen Duick VI (his radio had broken down and no one knew of his whereabouts until he crossed the finish line) was his second; it was also the last win for a monohull.[4][19]
Clare Francis in Robertson's Golly (Ohlson 38) finished 13th and broke the women's single-handed transatlantic record by three days.
The top finishers (including the top three of each class):
| Pos. | Skipper | Boat Name | Class | Boat Type | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class P | |||||
| 1 | Éric Tabarly (FRA) | Pen Duick VI | P | Mono-73 | 23 days 20 hours 12 min |
| 2 | Tom Grossman (USA) | CAP 33 | P | Tri-53 | 26 days 08 hours 15 min |
| 3 | Alain Colas (FRA) | CLUB MEDITERRANEE | P | Mono-236 | Correct 26 days 13 hours 36 min Elapsed 24 days 03 hours 36 min |
| ABN | Jean-Yves Terlain (FRA) | KRITER III | P | Cat-70 | -- ABN -- |
| RET | Yvon Fauconnier (FRA) | ITT OCEANIC | P | Mono-128 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Michael Kane (USA) | SPIRIT OF AMERICA | P | Tri-62 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Joel Charpentier (FRA) | WILD ROCKET | P | Mono-63 | -- RET -- |
| Class G | |||||
| 1 | Jean Claude Parisis (FRA) | PETROUCHKA | G | Mono-47 | 27 days 00 hours 55 min |
| 2 | Jaques Timsit (FRA) | ARAUNA IV | G | Mono-38 | 27 days 15 hours 32 min |
| 3 | Francis Stokes (USA) | MOONSHINE | G | Mono-40 | 28 days 12 hours 46 min |
| 4 | Carlo Bianchi (ITA) | VENILIA | G | Mono-54 | 29 days 00 hours 15 min |
| 5 | John de Trafford (GBR) | QUEST | G | Tri-54 | 30 days 07 hours 30 min |
| 6 | Patrice Duma (FRA) | SIRTEC | G | Mono-39 | 31 days 23 hours 09 min |
| 7 | Guy Hornett (GBR) | OLD MOORE'S ALMANAC | G | Tri-42 | 32 days 02 hours 06 min |
| 8 | Bill Howell (AUS) | TAHITI BILL | G | Cat-43 | 32 days 05 hours 19 min |
| 9 | Ernesto Raab (ITA) | CARINA | G | Mono-41 | 33 days 01 hours 22 min |
| 10 | E. Everett-Smith (USA) | WIND QUEST | G | Mono-40 | 34 days 08 hours 44 min |
| 11 | Edoardo Austoni (ITA) | CHICA BOBA | G | Mono-41 | 37 days 06 hours 00 min |
| 12 | Jock McCleod (GBR) | RON GLAS | G | Mono-47 | 38 days 17 hours 40 min |
| 13 |  Juan Guiu (ESP) | CRISAN | G | Mono-38 | 39 days 08 hours 15 min |
| 14 | Peter Crowther (GBR) | GALWAY BLAZER | G | Mono-42 | 39 days 12 hours 57 min |
| 15 | Zbigniew Puchalski (POL) | MIRANDA | G | Mono-38 | 42 days 13 hours 14 min |
| 16 | Michel Bourgeois (FRA) | DRAGON | G | Mono-37.5 | 45 days 12 hours 45 min |
| 17 | Gerard Dijkstra (NED) | BESTEVAER | G | Mono-54 | 49 days 07 hours 22 min |
| 18 | Eilco Kasemier (NED) | BYLGIA | G | Mono-40 | 49 days 10 hours 34 min |
| MOB | Mike McMullen (GBR) | THREE CHEERS | G | Tri-46 | Sailor Lost at Sea |
| ABN | Tony Bullimore (GBR) | TORIA | G | Tri-42 | Abandoned boat due to fire |
| ABN | Pierre Fehlman (FRA) | GAULOISE | G | Mono-57 | Abandoned boat as sank |
| ABN | P. Szekely (FRA) | NYARLATHOTEP | G | Mono-42 | -- ABN -- |
| RET | Kees Roemers (NED) | BOLLEMAAT | G | Mono45 | -- RET -- |
| RET | R.J. Ogle (GBR) | JADE | G | Mono-51 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Jock Brazier (GBR) | FLYING ANGEL | G | Mono-63 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Edoardo Guzzetti (ITA) | NAMAR V | G | Mono-45 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Paolo Sciarretta (ITA) | VALITALIA | G | Mono-42 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Gerard Frigout (FRA) | PEN AR BED | G | Mono-40 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Doi Malingri di Bagnolo (ITA) | CS & RB II | G | Mono-60 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Jean Claud Montesinos (FRA) | KEEP CAP D'AGDE | G | Mono-53 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Mike Best (GBR) | CRODA WAY | G | Tri-35 | -- RET -- |
| RET | C.H. Le Moing (FRA) | PRONUPTIA | G | Mono-43 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Alain Marcel (FRA) | DRAKKAR III | G | Mono-39 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Oscar Debra (BEL) | VANESSA | G | Mono-43 | -- RET -- |
| RET | C.S.W. Ward (GBR) | ALTERGO | G | Tri-39 | -- RET -- |
| Class J | |||||
| 1 |  Mike Birch (CAN) | THE THIRD TURTLE | J | Tri-32 | 24 days 20 hours 39 min |
| 2 | Kazimierz Jaworski (POL) | SPANIEL | J | Mono-38 | 24 days 23 hours 40 min |
| 3 | David Palmer (GBR) | FT | J | Tri-35 | 27 days 07 hours 45 min |
| 4 | Walter Greene (USA) | FRIENDS | J | Tri-30 | 27 days 10 hours 37 min |
| 5 | Alain Gabbay (FRA) | OBJECTIF SUD 3 | J | Mono-38 | 28 days 09 hours 58 min |
| 6 | Clare Francis (GBR) | ROBERTSON'S GOLLY | J | Mono-37.5 | 29 days 04 hours 22 min |
| 7 | Gustav Versluys (BEL) | TYFOON V | J | Mono-34.5 | 29 days 21 hours 12 min |
| 8= | Yves Anrys (BEL) | PAWN OF NIEUPORT | J | Mono-30 | 30 days 15 hours 34 min |
| 8= | Eugene Riguidel (FRA) | NOVA | J | Tri-33 | 30 days 15 hours 34 min |
| 10 | Gilles Vaton (FRA) | ACKEL FRANCE | J | Mono-38 | 31 days 03 hours 12 min |
| 11 | Daniel Pierre (FRA) | LORCA | J | Mono-29.5 | 31 days 14 hours 45 min |
| 12 | Geoff Hales (GBR) | WILD RIVAL | J | Mono-34 | 32 days 13 hours 48 min |
| 13 | Bernard Pallard (FRA) | PETIT BRETON | J | Mono-33.5 | 32 days 19 hours 57 min |
| 14 | Folkmar Graf (GER) | DADZTOY II | J | Mono-38 | 32 days 20 hours 55 min |
| 15 | Rome Ryott (GBR) | ADHARA | J | Mono-33.5 | 33 days 02 hours 54 min |
| 16 | Pierre Riboulet (FRA) | PIERRE | J | Mono-38 | 33 days 03 hours 39 min |
| 17 | Gerd Bucking (GER) | HELENE III | J | Mono-35 | 33 days 08 hours 41 min |
| 18 | Richard Clifford (GBR) | SHAMAAL II | J | Mono-25.5 | 33 days 12 hours 51 min |
| 19 | Burg Vennemans (NED) | PYTHEAS | J | Mono-38 | 34 days 10 hours 10 min |
| 20 | Nicholas Clifton (GBR) | AZULOA | J | Tri-32 | 35 days 03 hours 35 min |
| 21 |  John Mansell (NZL) | INNOVATOR OF MANA | J | Mono-28 | 35 days 12 hours 25 min |
| 22 | Philip Howells (GBR) | FROMSTOCK FILIUS | J | Mono-28 | 35 days 16 hours 07 min |
| 23 | D. H. Clark (GBR) | FREEMERLE | J | Mono-32 | 35 days 22 hours 50 min |
| 24 |  Georgi Georgiev (BUL) | KOR KAROLI | J | Mono-30 | 36 days 01 hours 50 min |
| 25 | Yves Olivaux (FRA) | PATRIARCHE | J | Mono-33.5 | 36 days 05 hours 14 min |
| 26 | Ian Radford (GBR) | JABULISIWE | J | Mono-28 | 38 days 08 hours 44 min |
| 27 | Lars Wallgren (SWE) | SWEDLADY | J | Mono-27.5 | 36 days 11 hours 10 min |
| 28 | Ida Castiglioni (ITA) | EVA | J | Mono-34.5 | 37 days 10 hours 20 min |
| 29 | Elie Labourgade (FRA) | EVALOA | J | Mono-34 | 37 days 10 hours 24 min |
| 30 | Klaus Schrodt (GER) | LILLIAM | J | Mono-29.5 | 37 days 21 hours 25 min |
| 31 | Rory Nugent (USA) | EDITH | J | Tri-31 | 39 days 04 hours 30 min |
| 32 | Chris Butler (GBR) | ACHILLES NEUF | J | Mono-30 | 39 days 06 hours 02 min |
| 33 | Richard Konkolski (CZE) | NIKE | J | Mono22.5 | 39 days 10 hours 49 min |
| 34 | James Young (GBR) | ENGLISH ROSE | J | Mono30 | 39 days 11 hours 29 min |
| 35 | David White (USA) | CATAPHA | J | Mono-32 | 39 days 17 hours 15 min |
| 36 | H.G. Mitchell (GBR) | TULOA | J | Mono-33 | 41 days 11 hours 59 min |
| 37 | Enrique Vidal Paz (ESP) | CASTENUELA | J | Mono-34 | 42 days 10 hours 10 min |
| 38 | David Pyle (GBR) | WESTWARD | J | Mono-30 | 42 days 10 hours 11 min |
| 39 | Wolfgang Wanders (GER) | AMITIE | J | Mono-35 | 42 days 17 hours 30 min |
| 40 | Henk Jukkema (NED) | HESPERIA | J | Mono-29.5 | 42 days 21 hours 18 min |
| 41 | Max Bourgeois (FRA) | ACHILLE | J | Mono-33 | 43 days 08 hours 41 min |
| 42 | Corrado di Majo (ITA) | TIKKA III | J | Mono-37 | 44 days 00 hours 37 min |
| 43 | David Sutcliffe (GBR) | LADY ANNE OF ST DONATS | J | Mono-25.5 | 44 days 03 hours 47 min |
| 44 | Angelo Preden (ITA) | CAIPIRINHA | J | Mono-30 | 44 days 04 hours 45 min |
| 45 |  Stuart Woods (IRL) | GOLDEN HARP | J | Mono-30 | 44 days 19 hours 14 min |
| 46 | Martin Wills (GBR) | CASPER | J | Mono-31 | 44 days 21 hours 05 min |
| 47 | Richard Elliott (GBR) | LAURIC | J | Mono-34 | 45 days 02 hours 29 min |
| 48 | Henry Pottle (GBR) | JANINA | J | Mono-25 | 45 days 03 hours 12 min |
| 49 | David Cowper (GBR) | AIREDALE | J | Mono-29.5 | 46 days 11 hours 17 min |
| 50 | Nigel Lang (GBR) | GALADRIEL OF LOTHLORIEN | J | Mono-25.5 | 48 days 03 hours 10 min |
| 51 | Rodney Kendall (NZL) | SONGEUR | J | Mono-24 | 49 days 05 hours 40 min |
| 52 | Bob Lengyel (USA) | PRODIGAL | J | Mono-25 | 49 days 19 hours 30 min |
| MOB | Mike Flanagan (USA) | GALLOPING GAEL | J | Mono-38 | Sailor and Boat Lost at Sea |
| OUT | Rod White (GBR) | BLUFF | J | Mono-26 | -- OUT -- |
| OUT | Peter Evans (GBR) | MEINWEN | J | Mono-32 | -- OUT -- |
| OUT | Jean Ropert (FRA) | BIGOUDEN BRISE | J | Mono-27.5 | -- OUT -- |
| OUT | Dr F. Sloan (GBR) | BALLYCLAIRE | J | Mono-33.5 | -- OUT -- |
| OUT | Anthony Lush (USA) | ONE HAND CLAPPING | J | Mono-28 | -- OUT -- |
| ABN | Dominique Berthier (FRA) | 5100 | J | Mono-37 | -- ABN -- |
| RET | Heiko Krieger (GER) | TINIE II | J | Mono-36 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Hans Schulte (GER) | SILKE | J | Mono-25 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Mike Richey (GBR) | JESTER | J | Mono-26 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Val Howells (GBR) | UNIBRAS BRYTHON | J | Mono-38 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Ambrogio Fogar (ITA) | SPIRIT OF SURPRISE | J | Cat-25 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Andre de Jong (NED) | AQUARIUS | J | Mono-28 | -- RET -- |
| RET | John Christian (GBR) | ET SOEKI | J | Mono-27 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Christian le Merrer (FRA) | ACTEIA II | J | Mono-39 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Pierre Yves Charbonnier (FRA) | KARATE | J | Mono-33 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Chris Smith (GBR) | TUMULT | J | Mono-23 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Marc Linksy (FRA) | OBJECTIF SUD I | J | Mono-38 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Angus Primrose (GBR) | DEMON DEMO | J | Mono-33 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Patrick O'Donovan (IRL) | SILMARIL | J | Tri-31 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Guy Cornou (FRA) | KERVILOR | J | Mono-34 | -- ABN -- |
| RET | Paolo Mascheroni (ITA) | PANDA 31 | J | Mono-32 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Mike Richardson (GBR) | ARCTIC SKUA | J | Mono-31 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Andrew Bray (GBR) | GILLYGALOO | J | Mono-32 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Colin Drummond (GBR) | SLEUTH HOUND | J | Mono-32 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Aline Marchard (FRA) | LOGO | J | Mono-38 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Guy Brunet (FRA) | IRONIGUY | J | Mono-32 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Jonathan Virden (GBR) | SHARAVOGE | J | Mono-25 | -- RET -- |
| RET | Simon Hunter (GBR) | KYLIE | J | Mono-26 | -- RET -- |
| ABN | Yann Nedellec (FRA) | OBJECTIF SUD 2 | J | Mono-38 | -- ABN -- |
| RET | Brian Start (CAN) | TRUE NORTH | J | Mono-36 | -- RET -- |
The 1/OSTAR, 1980
The 1980 race introduced a length limit of 56 feet overall, to curb the excesses of previous races. The class sizes were adjusted downwards: Jester (J): up to 32 ft (10 m); Gipsy Moth (G): 32 to 44 ft (13 m); Penduick (P): 44 to 56 ft (17 m). The new restrictions were unpopular with some sailors, particularly the French, many of whom opted to sail instead in the new Route du Rhum race.
The race was once again dominated by multihulls, with the top five places all taken by trimarans, and marked the end of even competition between monos and multis. Éric Tabarly was to compete, aboard the hydrofoil trimaran Paul Ricard, but was unable to enter due to injury. The race continued its history of innovation with the first use of the Argos satellite-based tracking system; this system allows boats to be tracked during the race, and can also be used to signal distress. The use of this system has now become a major feature of many ocean races, such as the Vendée Globe. The cost of the system was covered by introducing a new race sponsor, the radio station Europe 1, in conjunction with the Observer.
The winner was American Phil Weld, in only his second OSTAR, whose trimaran Moxie was custom built to the 56-foot (17 m) limit; he set a new course record of 18 days. Many were impressed by this popular sailor's win at the age of 65. The preponderance of larger boats, and particularly multihulls, left the smaller Jesters seriously outclassed; the highest-placed was Free Newspapers, sailed by John Chaundy, who finished in 29th place, with a time of 28 days.,[4][20][21] RWYC OSTAR Race Results - 1980
Dame Naomi James, who became the second lady to circumnavigate the globe single-handedly in 1977/78 was reunited with the Express Crusader (fitted out and renamed Kriter Lady) for the race. She was the first woman back and broke the women's speed record. Her husband Rob James also competed in that race, finishing twelfth in the trimaran Boatfile.
| Pos. | Skipper | Boat | !Class | Time | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | ||||||
| 1 | Philip Weld (USA) | Moxie | P | Tri-51 | 17 days 23 hours 12 min | |
| 2 | Nick Keig (GBR) | THREE LEGS OF MANN III | P | Tri-53 | 18 days 06 hours 04 min | |
| 3 | Mike Birch (CAN) | OLYMPUS PHOTO | P | Tri-46 | 18 days 07 hours 15 min | |
| 4 | Kazimierz Jaworski (POL) | SPANIEL II | P | Mono-56 | 19 days 13 hours 25 min | |
| 5 | Edoardo Austoni (ITA) | CHICA BOBA | P | Mono-56 | 20 days 02 hours 30 min | |
| 6 | Tom Grossman (USA) | KRITER VII | P | Tri-56 | 21 days 08 hours 01 min | |
| 7 | Olivier de Kersauson (FRA) | KRITER VI | P | Mono-54 | 21 days 20 hours 30 min | |
| 8 | Pierre Sicouri (ITA) | GUIA FILA | P | Mono-44 | 22 days 02 hours 34 min | |
| 9 |  Bertie Reed (RSA) | VOORTREKKER | P | Mono-49 | 23 days 12 hours 42 min | |
| 10 | Eugene Riguidel (FRA) | V.S.D. | P | Tri-52 | 24 days 01 hours 27 min | |
| 11 | Jean Pierre Millet (FRA) | OPEN SPACE | P | Mono-52 | 25 days 01 hours 05 min | |
| 12 | Victor Sagi (ESP) | GARUDA | P | Mono-48 | 25 days 08 hours 23 min | |
| 13 | Naomi James (GBR) | KRITER LADY | P | Mono-53 | 25 days 19 hours 12 min | |
| 14 | Beppe Panada (ITA) | MULAT | P | Mono-56 | 42 days 18 hours 20 min | |
| 15 | Burg Veenemans (NED) | PYTHEAS II | P | Mono-47 | 49 days 08 hours 16 min | |
| RET | Eric Loizeau (FRA) | GAULOISE IV | P | Mono-53 | -- RET -- | |
| RET | J.C. Parisis (FRA) | CHARLES HEIDSIECK II | P | Mono-48 | -- RET -- | |
| RET | Michel Horeau (FRA) | MAURICE LIDCHI | P | Tri-51 | -- RET -- | |
| RET | Warren Luhrs (USA) | TUESDAY'S CHILD | P | Mono-54 | -- RET -- | |
| RET | Czeslaw Gogol-kiewicz (POL) | RACZYNSKI II | P | Mono-56 | -- RET -- | |
| Class | ||||||
| 1 | Philip Steggall (USA) | JEANS FOSTER | G | Tri-38 | 18 days 06 hours 45 min | |
| 2 | Walter Greene (USA) | CHAUSSETTES OLYMPIA | G | Tri-35 | 18 days 17 hours 29 min | |
| 3 | Daniel Gilard (FRA) | BRITTANY FERRIES I | G | Mono-44 | 21 days 00 hours 09 min | |
| 4 | Richard Konkolski (CZE) | NIKE II | G | Mono44 | 21 days 06 hours 21 min | |
| 5 | Wolfgang Wanders (GER) | STADT KREFELD | G | Mono-44 | 21 days 14 hours 22 min | |
| 6 | Gustaf Versluys (BEL) | TYPHOON VI | G | Mono-44 | 21 days 15 hours 01 min | |
| 7 | Alain Labbe (FRA) | HYDOFOLIE | G | Tri-42 | 21 days 15 hours 51 min | |
| 8 | Robert James (GBR) | BOATFILE | G | Tri-31 | 22 days 22 hours 55 min | |
| 9 | Dennis Gliksman (FRA) | FRANCE LOISIRS | G | Mono-44 | 23 days 10 hours 00 min | |
| 10 | Philippe Fournier (FRA) | HAUTE-NENDAZ | G | Mono-36.5 | 24 days 03 hours 05 min | |
| 11 | Francis Stokes (USA) | MOONSHINE | G | Mono-40 | 25 days 14 hours 07 min | |
| 12 | Bill Homewood (USA) | THE THIRD TURTLE | G | Tri-32 | 25 days 20 hours 13 min | |
| 13 | Robert Bocinsky (USA) | AMBERGRIS | G | Mono-37 | 26 days 00 hours 39 min | |
| 14 | Jean-Jaques Jaouen (FRA) | LES MENUIRES | G | Mono-44 | 26 days 15 hours 21 min | |
| 15 | Jerzy Rakowicz (POL) | SPANIEL | G | Mono-38 | 26 days 19 hours 29 min | |
| 16 | William Doelger (USA) | EDITH | G | Tri-31 | 28 days 04 hours 10 min | |
| 17 | Uno Hylen (SWE) | YOLDIA | G | Mono-37 | 28 days 05 hours 48 min | |
| 18 | Desmond Hampton (GBR) | WILD RIVAL | G | Mono-34 | 28 days 13 hours 44 min | |
| 19 | John Charnley (GBR) | ATLANTIC HARP | G | Mono-43 | 29 days 06 hours 21 min | |
| 20 | John Oswald (GBR) | MOONSHADOW BASILDON | G | Mono-37.5 | 30 days 15 hours 30 min | |
| 21 | Oscar Debra (BEL) | CRUMPY NUT | G | Mono-43 | 30 days 16 hours 32 min | |
| 22 | Richard Clifford (GBR) | WARRIOR SHAMAAL | G | Mono35 | 30 days 16 hours 45 min | |
| 23 | Kees Roemers (NED) | BOLLEMAAT IV | G | Mono-44 | 30 days 21 hours 24 min | |
| 24 | Angus Primrose (GBR) | DEMON OF HAMBLE | G | Mono-33 | 30 days 23 hours 08 min | |
| 25 | Roger Forkert (FRA) (USA) | PARISIEN LIBERE | G | Tri38 | 31 days 10 hours 45 min | |
| 26 | Guy Bernadin (FRA) | RATSO II | G | Mono-38 | 31 days 11 hours 45 min | |
| 27 | Don Clark (GBR) | ABACUS | G | Mono-41.5 | 32 days 07 hours 17 min | |
| 18 | Thomas Gochberg (USA) | MISTRAL | G | Mono-41.5 | 32 days 18 hours 35 min | |
| 29 | Nikolay Djambazov (BUL) | TANGRA | G | Mono-36 | 34 days 10 hours 53 min | |
| 30 | Wijtze van der Zee (NED) | BLACK PEARL | G | Mono-41 | 35 days 11 hours 20 min | |
| 31 | Jose Ugarte (ESP) | NORTH WIND | G | Mono-39 | 36 days 06 hours 43 min | |
| 32 | Paul Rodgers (GBR) | CHRISTIAN SAUL | G | Tri-34 | 37 days 03 hours 11 min | |
| 33 | Juin Guiu (ESP) | CRISAN | G | Mono-38 | 38 days 14 hours 33 min | |
| 34 | J. R. Verwoerd (NED) | SEAGULL II | G | Mono-33 | 38 days 17 hours 00 min | |
| 35 | Tom Ryan (USA) | PEGGY | G | Tri-31 | 40 days 20 hours 16 min | |
| 36 | Ernest Sonne (USA) | ELBE | G | Mono-36 | 41 days 10 hours 45 min | |
| 37 | John Beharrell (GBR) | MISCIN | G | Mono-38 | 42 days 10 hours 00 min | |
| OUT |  Anthony Vassiliadis (GRE) | OLD NAVY LIGHTS | G | Mono-34.5 | -- OUT -- | |
| RET | Piet ter Laag (NED) | LADY DONA | G | Mono-34 | -- RET -- | |
| ABN | Jacques Timsit (FRA) | MOTOROLA | G | Mono-38 | -- ABN -- | |
| OUT | Hans Schulte (GER) | SILKE | G | Mono-38 | -- OUT -- | |
| ABN | Nicholas Clifton (GBR) | FLEURY MICHON | G | Proa-42 | -- ABN -- | |
| ABN | Theo Cockerell (GBR) | ROUNDABOUT | G | Mono-36.5 | -- ABN -- | |
| ABN | Peter Philips (GBR) | LIVERY DOLE | G | Tri-35 | -- ABN -- | |
| RET | Mac Smith (USA) | SEA QUEST | G | Mono39 | -- RET -- | |
| ABN | Antonio Chioatto (ITA) | MATTIA III | G | Tri-36 | -- ABN -- | |
| RET | Judith Lawson (USA) | SERTA PERFECT SLEEPER | G | Mono-32 | -- RET -- | |
| Class | ||||||
| 1 | John Chaundy (GBR) | FREE NEWSPAPERS | J | Mono-32 | 28 days 00 hours 56 min | |
| 2 | lan Radford (GBR) | JABULISIWE | J | Mono-28 | 30 days 14 hours 38 min | |
| 3 | Henk Jukkema (NED) | VICTORIA | J | Mono-31 | 30 days 18 hours 02 min | |
| 4 | Chris Smith (GBR) | SADLER BLUEJACKET | J | Mono-25 | 30 days 19 hours 20 min | |
| 5 | Chris Butler (GBR) | ACHILLEA | J | Mono-28 | 30 days 20 hours 49 min | |
| 6 | James Kyle (USA) | DREAM WEAVER | J | Mono-27 | 31 days 23 hours 05 min | |
| 7 | Alain Veyron (FRA) | CAT MARINE | J | Tri-28 | 32 days 02 hours 50 min | |
| 8 | Luis Tonizzo (USA) | EGRET | J | Mono-27 | 33 days 05 hours 25 min | |
| 9 | Henk van de Weg (NED) | TJISJE | J | Mono-29.5 | 36 days 22 hours 22 min | |
| 10 | Wolfgang Quix (GER) | JEANTEX | J | Mono-31 | 38 days 03 hours 02 min | |
| 11 | Giampaola Venturin (ITA) | CECCO | J | Mono-26 | 38 days 08 hours 55 min | |
| 12 | Bob Lush (CAN) | OLYMPUS SAILING | J | Mono-25 | 39 days 01 hours 46 min | |
| 13 | Tony Lush (USA) | ONE HAND CLAPPING | J | Mono-32 | 39 days 06 hours 56 min | |
| 14 | Andre de Jong (NED) | LA PELIGROSA | J | Mono-30.5 | 39 days 16 hours 55 min | |
| 15 | Bon Lengyel (USA) | PRODIGAL | J | Mono-25 | 40 days 06 hours 09 min | |
| 16 | John Hunt (USA) | CRYSTAL CATFISH | J | Mono-31 | 41 days 13 hours 18 min | |
| 17 |  Per Mustelin (FIN) | MARE | J | Mono-30 | 43 days 03 hours 34 min | |
| 18 | William Wallace (USA) | NOVIA | J | Mono-30 | 44 days 10 hours 42 min | |
| 19 | Martin Wills (GBR) | CASPER | J | Mono-31 | 46 days 13 hours 52 min | |
| DSQ | Jerry Cartwright (USA) | LE FIRST | J | Mono-32 | 26 days 22 hours 55 min (DSQ) | |
| ABN | Michael Richey (GBR) | JESTER | J | Mono-26 | -- OUT -- | |
| RET | Simon Hunter (GBR) | JOMADA | J | Mono-30 | -- RET -- | |
| RET | Bernard Pallard (FRA) | BRITTANY FERRIES II | J | Mono-29.5 | -- RET -- | |
Canadian skippers Mike Birch and Bob Lush were the subject of a National Film Board of Canada documentary Singlehanders, released in 1982.[22]
The 1/OSTAR, 1984
The 1984 race saw the pace of technical innovation continue to accelerate. Custom-built trimarans were again the main force, but the monohulls also advanced, with the introduction of water ballast and other innovations. Some controversy over the size limitations in the previous race resulted in slightly larger classes, and the removal of restrictions on bow and stern overhangs; yachts were divided into five classes, but still with no distinction between monohulls and multihulls. Europe 1 continued to support the race, and Argos beacons were again used by all boats.
The first day of the race saw several dismastings in strong gales, and several skippers were awarded time for rescuing other racers. This resulted in an upset at the finish — Philippe Poupon, sailing the 56-foot (17 m) trimaran Fleury Michon VI, arrived first with a time of 16 days 12 hours, and went to bed thinking that he had won. But the race was awarded to Yvon Fauconnier, who finished 10 hours later but was given a 16-hour time allowance for rendering assistance to Philippe Jeantot, whose catamaran Credit Agricole had capsized. The winner among the monohulls was Warren Luhrs, in his 60-footer Thursday's Child.[4][23]
| Pos. | Skipper | Boat | Class | Type | Time | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | ||||||
| 1 | Yvon Fauconnier (FRA) | Umupro Jardin V | I | Tri-53 | Corrected 16 days 06 hours 25 min Elapsed 16 days 22 hours 25 min | |
| 2 | Philippe Poupon (FRA) | Fleury Michon | I | Tri-56 | 16 days 12 hours 25 min | |
| 3 | Marc Pajot (FRA) | Elf Aquitaine II | I | Cat-59 | 16 days 12 hours 48 min | |
| 4 | Éric Tabarly (FRA) | Paul Ricard | I | Tri-60 | 16 days 14 hours 21 min | |
| 5 | Peter Philips (GBR) | Travacrest Seaway | I | Tri-60 | 16 days 17 hours 23 min | |
| 6 | Daniel Gilard (FRA) | Nantes | I | Tri-60 | 16 days 17 hours 51 min | |
| 7 | Bruno Peyron (FRA) | L'Aiglon | I | Cat-60 | 16 days 20 hours 21 min | |
| 8 | Francois Boucher (FRA) | Ker Cadelac | I | Tri-50 | 16 days 21 hours 48 min | |
| 9 | Warren Luhrs (USA) | Thursday's Child | I | Mono-60 | 16 days 22 hours 27 min | |
| 10 | Vincent Levy (FRA) | KERMARINE | I | Tri-50 | 17 days 04 hours 28 min | |
| 11 | John Martin (RSA) | MAINSTAY VOORTREKKER | I | Mono-60 | 17 days 22 hours 02 min | |
| 12 | Denis Gliksman (FRA) | LESSIVE ST MARC | I | Tri-50 | 17 days 22 hours 17 min | |
| 13 | Edoardo Austoni (ITA) | CHICA BOBA III | I | Tri-60 | 19 days 10 hours 41 min | |
| 14 | Jack Boye (USA) | CARTERET SAVINGS | I | Tri-54 | 21 days 01 hours 50 min | |
| 15 | Alain Petit-Etienne (FRA) | REGION DE PICARDIE | I | Mono-60 | 21 days 08 hours 47 min | |
| 16 | David White (USA) | GLADIATOR | I | Mono-55 | 28 days 04 hours 38 min | |
| RET | Florence Arthaud (FRA) | Biotherm II | I | Tri-60 | Damaged | |
| RET | Jeff Houlgrave (GBR) | Colt Cars GB | I | Tri-60 | Dismasted | |
| RET | Gilles Gahinet (FRA) | 33 Export | I | Cat-60 | Damaged | |
| RET | Hugh McCoy (GBR) | Fury | I | Cat-60 | Damaged | |
| RET | June Clarke | BATCHELORS SWEET PEA | I | Tri | Pitchpoled 6 hours after start rescued by lifeboat | |
| RET | Loïck Peyron (FRA) | Lada Poch | I | Cat-54 | Dismasted | |
| RET | Michel Horeau (FRA) | Marchés de France | I | Tri-50 | Damaged | |
| RET | Philippe Jeantot (FRA) | Crédit Agricole | I | Cat-60 | Capsized | |
| RET | Patrick Morvan (FRA) | Jet Services | I | Cat-60 | Damaged | |
| Class 2 | ||||||
| 1 | Olivier Moussy (FRA) | Region Centre | II | Tri-45 | 16 days 19 hours 16 min | |
| 2 | Didier Munduteguy (FRA) | COTE BASQUE | II | Tri45 | 18 days 13 hours 34 min | |
| 3 | Yves Le Cornec (FRA) | IDENEK | II | Tri42 | 18 days 13 hours 49 min | |
| 4 | Walter Greene (USA) | SEBAGO | II | Mono-45 | 19 days 10 hours 38 min | |
| 5 | Patrice Carpentier (FRA) | CENET | II | Cat-45 | 21 days 06 hours 02 min | |
| 6 | Guy Bernadin (FRA) | BISCUITS LU | II | Mono-44 | 21 days 18 hours 35 min | |
| 7 | Jose Ugarte (ESP) | ORION IRU | II | Mono-45 | 22 days 15 hours 53 min | |
| 8 | Simon van Hagen (NED) | BETELGEUZE | II | Mono-42 | 25 days 05 hours 50 min | |
| 9 |  Colin Laird (TRI) | LA BALEINE | II | Mono-44 | 25 days 15 hours 29 min | |
| 10 | Jerry Freeman (GBR) | ABACUS | II | Mono-42 | 27 days 11 hours 11 min | |
| 11 | Mac Smith (USA) | QUAILO | II | Mono-44 | 29 days 23 hours 10 min | |
| 12 | Goos Terschegget (NED) | DE VOLHARDING | II | Mono-41 | 41 days 20 hours 20 min | |
| RET | Eric Loizeau (FRA) | Roger & Gallet | II | Tri-45 | Damaged | |
| RET | Frank Wood (GBR) | Marsden | II | Tri-45 | Dismasted | |
| RET | Gustav Versluys (BEL) | Tyfoon VI | II | Mono-44 | Damaged | |
| RET | Monique Brand (FRA) | Alliance Kaypro | II | Mono-44 | Dismasted | |
| Class 3 | ||||||
| 1 | Jack Petith (USA) | DESTINATION St CROIX | III | Tri38 | 18 days 12 hours 31 hours 1 min | |
| 2 | Philippe Fournier (SUI) | GESPAC | III | Cat40 | 19 days 07 hours 50 min | |
| 3 | Tony Bullimore (GBR) | CITY OF BIRMINGHAM | III | Mono-40 | 19 days 22 hours 35 min | |
| 4 | Kai Granholm (FIN) | PATRICIA OF FINLAND | III | Mono-40 | 21 days 13 hours 04 min | |
| 5 | Ian Radford (GBR) | NTOMBIFUTI | III | Mono-40 | 22 days 16 hours 13 min | |
| 6 | Qlivier Dardel (FRA) | ALCATEL | III | Cat-37.5 | 24 days 13 hours 10 min | |
| 7 | John Shaw (GBR) | MS PATTY | III | Mono-40 | 24 days 14 hours 53 min | |
| 8 | Wijtze van de Zee (NED) | ROYAL LEERDAM | III | Mono-40 | 24 days 18 hours 05 min | |
| 9 | Tom Donnelly (USA) | LONE EAGLE | III | Mono-36 | 26 days 06 hours 46 min | |
| 10 | Alan Wynne-Thomas (GBR) | JEMIMA NICHOLAS | III | Mono-40 | 26 days 18 hours 21 min | |
| 11 | Alan Perkes (GBR) | SHERPA BILL | III | Mono-36 | 27 days 11 hours 50 min | |
| 12 | Hans van Hest (NED) | OLLE P2 | III | Mono-38.5 | 30 days 04 hours 10 min | |
| 13 | Spencer Langford (USA) | SUMMER SALT | III | Mono-38 | 30 days 12 hours 43 min | |
| 14 | Robert Scott (USA) | LANDS END | III | Mono-39.5 | 31 days 23 hours 10 min | |
| RET | Bob Menzies (AUS) | Dancing Dolphin | Mono-37 | III | Damaged | |
| RET | June Clarke (GBR) | Batchelors Sweet Pea | Tri-40 | III | Capsized | |
| Class 4 | ||||||
| 1 | Luis Tonizzo (USA) | CITY OF SLIDEL | IV | Mono-35 | 20 days 23 hours 40 min | |
| 2 | Bill omewood (USA) | BRITISH AIRWAYS II | IV | Mono-31 | 21 days 05 hours 34 min | |
| 3 | Tony Lush (USA) | SURVIVAL TECH GROUP | IV | Mono-35 | 22 days 02 hours 39 min | |
| 4 | Jim Bates (USA) | BIG SHOT | IV | Cat-35 | 22 days 18 hours 09 min | |
| 5 | Alain Veyron (FRA) | VINGT SUR VANNES | IV | Mono-35 | 23 days 13 hours 44 min | |
| 6 | Bruno Fehrenbach (FRA) | DOUCHE CHAMPION | IV | Mono-35 | 25 days 03 hours 53 min | |
| 7 | Henk Jukkema (NED) | LDS SAILER | IV | Mono-33 | 25 days 09 hours 12 min | |
| 8 | Brian O'Donoghue (GBR) | GAMBLE GOLD | IV | Mono-33 | 29 days 15 hours 55 min | |
| 9 | Bertus Buys (NED) | SEA-BERYL | IV | Mono-35 | 32 days 10 hours 09 min | |
| 10 | John Howie (USA) | FREE BIRD | IV | Mono-31.5 | 35 days 04 hours 33 min | |
| 11 | Dick Hughes (NED) | GLADYS | IV | Mono-34 | 39 days 06 hours 56 min | |
| 12 | Timothy Hubbard (USA) | JOHAN LLOYDE | IV | Mono-32 | 41 days 04 hours 30 min | |
| 13 | Jack Coffey (IRL) | MEG OF MUGLINS | IV | Mono-35 | 41 days 16 hours 30 min | |
| 14 | John Hunt (USA) | CRYSTAL CATFISH | IV | Mono-31.5 | 44 days 14 hours 22 min | |
| RET | Andrede Jong (NED) | La Peligrosa | Mono-31 | IV | Damaged | |
| RET | Bob Lengyel (USA) | Prodigal | Mono-34 | IV | Damaged | |
| RET | Jacques Vuylsteker (FRA) | Jeremi V | Mono-35 | IV | Damaged | |
| RET | John Mansell (NZL) | Double Brown | Cat-35 | IV | Damaged | |
| RET | Karl Peterzen (SWE) | Karpetz | Mono-31.5 | IV | Damaged | |
| RET | Rachel Hayward (GBR) | Loiwing | Mono-35 | IV | Aground | |
| Class 5 | ||||||
| 1 | Chris Butler (GBR) | SWANSEA BAY | V | Mono-27 | 30 days 14 hours 48 min | |
| 2 | Michael Petrovsky (GBR) | TIMPANI | V | Mono-30 | 30 days 23 hours 58 | |
| 3 | David Ryan (USA) | PHAGAWI | V | Mono-29 | 31 days 07 hours 48 | |
| 4 | Albert Fournier (USA) | EL TORERO | V | Mono-30 | 31 days 08 hours 25 | |
| 5 | Jan van Donselaar (NED) | SHAMROCK | V | Mono-30 | 32 days 15 hours 20 | |
| 6 | Alan Armstrong (GBR) | MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC | V | Mono-29.5 | 32 days 20 hours 45 | |
| 7 | Lloyd Hircock (CAN) | MOUSTACHE | V | Mono-29.5 | 35 days 15 hours 57 | |
| 8 | Vassil Kurtev (BUL) | NORD | V | Mono-25 | 40 days 16 hours 38 | |
| RET | Bill Wallace (USA) | Novia | Mono-3 | V | Dismasted | |
| RET | Chris Smith (GBR) | Race Against Poverty | Mono-30 | V | Damaged | |
| RET | Douglas Parker (USA) | Refugee | Mono-27 | V | Retired | |
| RET | David Duncombe (GBR) | Go Kart | M29 | V | Damaged | |
| RET | Geoff Hales (GBR) | Quest for Charity | C29 | V | Damaged | |
| RET | Henk van de Weg (NED) | Tjisje | Mono-29.5 | V | Damaged | |
| RET | Michael Richey (GBR) | Jester | Mono-26 | V | Damaged | |
| RET | Thomas Veyron (FRA) | Rizla + | Tri-30 | V | Dismasted | |
The CSTAR, 1988
With Carlsberg taking over as main sponsor, the Carlsberg Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race of 1988 saw 95 entrants, with custom-built multihulls again dominating. Favourable weather made ideal conditions for a fast pace, and indeed Philippe Poupon's winning time set a new race record of 10 days, 9 hours and 10 minutes. One of the main hazards of the race was damage by whales; Mike Birch's Fujicolor was damaged by a whale, forcing him to retire from the race; and David Sellings was forced to abandon Hyccup after she was sunk by an aggressive pod of whales. Mike Richey's original Jester, which had taken part in every edition of the race, was lost in heavy weather in the tail-end of the fleet.[4][6][24]
The top eleven finishers were all Class 1 multihulls. The top five were:
| Pos. | Skipper | Boat Name | Class | Time | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philippe Poupon (FRA) | Fleury Michon | Tri-60(I) | 10 days 09 hours 15 min | |
| 2 | Olivier Moussy (FRA) | Laiterie Mt St Michel | Tri-60(I) | 11 days 04 hours 17 min | |
| 3 | Loïck Peyron (FRA) | Lada Poch II | Tri-60(I) | 11 days 09 hours 02 min | |
| 4 | Philip Steggall (USA) | Sebago | Tri-60(I) | 11 days 09 hours 55 min | |
| 5 | Bruno Peyron (FRA) | VSD | Cat-60 | 12 days 23 hours 20 min | |
| 6 | Halvard Mabire (FRA) | Gérard Hénon | Trimaran 60 | 13 days 06 hours 51 min | |
| 7 | Florence Arthaud (FRA) | Groupe Pierre 1er | Trimaran 60 | 13 days 10 hours 58 min | |
| 8 | Jean Maurel (FRA) | Elf Aquitaine III | Trimaran 60 | 14 days 10 hours 02 min | |
| 9 | Tony Bullimor (GBR) | Spirit of Apricot | Trimaran 60 | 14 days 20 hours 40 min | 32 hours 06 min |
| 10 | Pierre Sicouri (ITA) | La nuova Sardegna | Trimaran 60 | 15 days 17 hours 34 min | |
| 11 | Pascal Hérold (FRA) | Dupon Duran | Trimaran 60 | 16 days 12 hours 39 min | |
| 12 | Nic Bailey (USA) | MTC | Trimaran 40 | 16 days 17 hours 03 min |
The fastest monohull, UAP 1992, finished 13th. The top five monohulls:
| Pos. | Skipper | Boat | Class | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jean-Yves Terlain (FRA) | UAP 1992 | Mono-60(I) | 17 days 04 hours 05 min |
| 2 | John Martin (RSA) | Allied Bank | Mono-60(I) | 17 days 08 hours 18 min |
| 3 | Jose Ugarte (ESP) | Castrol Solo | Mono-60(I) | 17 days 21 hours 47 min |
| 4 | Titouan Lamazou (FRA) | Ecureuil d'Aquitaine | Mono-60(I) | 18 days 07 hours 00 min |
| 5 | Courtney Hazelton (USA) | Mariko | Mono-45(III) | 21 days 05 hours 44 min |
The Europe 1 STAR, 1992
The Europe 1 Star of 1992 saw the fleet beset by a full range of hazards — storms, icebergs, trawlers, fog and whales hit boats on the northern route, before they were finally becalmed off Newfoundland. The monohulls managed the heavy conditions and crosswinds quite well, but the multis were plagued with capsizes and damage. Yves Parlier was the top monohull skipper in a new Open 60, setting a monohull record time of 14 days 16 hours.[4][25]
The top ten finishers included two monohulls:
| Pos. | Skipper | Boat Name | Class | Time | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loïck Peyron (FRA) | Fujicolor | ORMA 60 | 11 days 01 hours 35 min | |
| 2 | Paul vatine (FRA) | Haute-Normandie | ORMA 60 | 12 days 07 hours 49 min | |
| 3 | Francis Joyon (FRA) | Banque Populaire | ORMA 60 | 12 days 09 hours 14 min | |
| 4 | Hervé Laurent (FRA) | Took Took | ORMA 60 | 13 days 04 hours 01 min | |
| 5 | Laurent Bourgnon (SUI) | Primagaz | ORMA 60 | 13 days 07 hours 40 min | |
| 6 | Yves Parlier (FRA) | Cacolac d'Aquitaine | IMOCA 60 | 14 days 16 hours 01 min | |
| 7 | Etienne Giroire | Up My Sleeve | 40 ft Tri | 16 days 06 hours 45 min | |
| 8 | Mark Gatehouse (GBR) | Queen Anne's Battery | IMOCA 60 | 16 days 11 hours 30 min | |
| 9 | Hervé Cléris (FRA) | C L M | 50 ft Tri | 16 days 12 hours 17 min | |
| 10 | Pascal Hérold (FRA) | Dupon Duran | 50 ft Tri | 16 days 20 hours 16 min | |
| 11 | Alan Wynne-Thomas (GBR) | Cardiff Discovery | IMOCA 60 | 17 days 06 h 17 min | |
| 12 | Bertrand de Broc (FRA) | Groupe LG | IMOCA 60 | 17 days 07 hours 17 min | |
| 13 | Nigel Burgess (GBR) | Dogwatch II | IMOCA 60 | 17 days 15 hours 59 min | |
| 14 | Richard Tolkien (GBR) | Enif Morgan Grenfell | IMOCA 60 | 17 days 16 hours 40 min | |
| 17 | Giovanni Soldini (ITA) | Misco Computer Supplies (Looping) | Open 50 | 18 days 04 hours 16 min | |
| 19 | José de Ugarte (ESP) | Euzkadi Europa 93 | IMOCA 60 | 18 days 07 hours 19 min | |
| 23 | Vittorio Malingri (ITA) | Moana 60 | IMOCA 60 | 20 days 10 hours 10 min |
The Europe 1 STAR, 1996
Loïck Peyron, on the same trimaran Fujicolor II, for the 1996 edition of the race; and he led at the start, passing the Eddystone lighthouse at 28 knots (52 km/h). However, Francis Joyon dominated the race, and 600 miles (970 km) from the finish seemed set to win, at which point he was 24 hours ahead of his nearest rival; but his trimaran Banque Populaire was capsized by a gust off Nova Scotia, leaving the race to Peyron.
Peyron's time of 10 days, 10 hours and 5 minutes, was just 50 minutes short of the course record. Peyron was the first person to win two successive editions of the race, and only the second to win twice. Gerry Roufs won the monohull division, sailing the 60-foot (18 m) Groupe LG2. Italian Giovanni Soldini won the 50-foot (15 m) monohull class, in Telecom Italia.[4][6][26]
Only three multihulls overcame the conditions to make the top ten finishers:
| Pos. | Skipper | Class | Type | Boat Name | Time | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class I | ||||||
| 1 | Loïck Peyron (FRA) | I | ORMA 60 | Fujicolor II | 10 days 10 hours 05 min | |
| 2 | Paul Vatine (FRA) | I | ORMA 60 | Region Haute Normandie | 10 days 13 hours 05 min | |
| 3 | Mike Birch (CAN) | I | ORMA 60 | Biscuits la Trinitaine | 14 days 12 hours 55 min | |
| 4 | Gerry Roufs (CAN) | I | IMOCA 60 | Groupe LG 2 | 15 days 14 hours 50 min | |
| 5 | Josh Hall (GBR) | I | IMOCA 60 | Gartmore Investments | 16 days 15 hours 56 min | |
| 6 | Vittorio Malingri (ITA) | I | IMOCA 60 | Anicaflash | 16 days 19 hours 24 min | |
| 7 | Hervé Laurent (FRA) | I | IMOCA 60 | Groupe LG1 | 17 days 00 hours 55 min | |
| 8 | Eric Dumont (FRA) | I | IMOCA 60 | Café Legal le Gout | 17 days 01 hours 11 min | |
| 9 | Catherine Chabaud (FRA) | I | IMOCA 60 | Whirlpool-Vital-Europe 2 | 17 days 06 hours 43 min | |
| 10 | Alan Wynne-Thomas (GBR) | I | IMOCA 60 | Elan Sifo | 18 days 18 hours 14 min | |
| 11 | Dirk Gunst (BEL) | I | Mono-57 | Tomidi | 19 days 19 hours 45 min | |
| RET | Laurent Bourgnon (FRA) | I | ORMA 60 | Primagaz | Capsized | |
| RET | Francis Joyon (FRA) | I | ORMA 60 | Banque Populaire | Capsized | |
| RET | Yves Parlier (FRA) | I | IMOCA 60 | Aquitaine Innovations | Dismasted | |
| Class II | ||||||
| 1 | Giovanni Soldini (ITA) | II | IMOCA 50 | Telecom Italia | 15 days 18 hours 29 min | |
| 2 | Pete Goss (FRA) | II | IMOCA 50 | Aqua Quorum | 17 days 08 hours 08 min | |
| 3 | Hervé Cléris (FRA) | II | 50 ft Tri | CLM | 17 days 10 hours 10 min | |
| 4 | Niah Vaughan (GBR) | II | Mono-50 | Jimroda II | 19 days 22 hours 57 min | |
| 5 | Wolfgang Quix (GER) | II | Mono-50 | Wolfie's Toy | 20 days 01 hours 45 min | |
| 6 | Michel André (FRA) | II | Mono-46 | Dix de Lyon | 24 days 03 hours 47 min | |
| 7 | Alain Pelletier (FRA) | II | Mono-48 | Oiseau de la Pluie | 30 days 09 hours 22 min | |
| Class III | ||||||
| 1 | Alan Brutger (GBR) | III | Mono-45 | Mountain Sky Magic | 19 days 14 hours 22 min | |
| 2 | Simone Bianchetti (ITA) | III | Mono-45 | Merit Cup | 20 days 21 hours 35 min | |
| 3 | Phil Rubright (FRA) | III | Mono-44 | Shamwari | 22 days 13 hours 17 min | |
| 4 | Renaud le Youdec (FRA) | III | Mono-40 | Kiss me Quick | 27 days 08 hours 00 min | |
| ABN | Peter Crowther (GBR) | III | Mono-42 | Galway Blazer | Sank | |
| RET | George Stricker (USA) | III | Mono-45 | Rapscallion | Retired | |
| Class IV | ||||||
| 1 | Trevor Leek (FRA) | IV | 40 ft Tri | Mollymawk | 17 days 09 hours 44 min | |
| 2 | Jacques Bouchacourt (FRA) | IV | Mono-40 | New Yorker | 20 days 00 hours 23 min | |
| 3 | Desmond Hampton (GBR) | IV | Mono-40 | Roc | 22 days 00 hours 30 min | |
| 4 | Neal Petersen (RSA) | IV | Mono-40 | Protect our Sealife | 25 days 09 hours 33 min | |
| 5 | Graham Harrison (GBR) | IV | Mono-38 | Cyclone | 25 days 19 hours 45 min | |
| 6 | David Evans (USA) | IV | Mono-40 | Ratso | 30 days 00 hours 52 min | |
| 7 | Bertus Buys (NED) | IV | Mono-40 | Sea Beryl | 30 days 04 hours 42 min | |
| 8 | Carole Newman (GBR) | IV | Mono-39 | Independent Freedom | 32 days 02 hours 50 min | |
| 9 | Alex Eckhardt (NED) | IV | Mono-36 | Taurus | 38 days 16 hours 31 min | |
| RET | Michael Dunkerly (GBR) | IV | Mono-40 | Mother Goose | Retired | |
| RET | Michel Jaheny (FRA) | IV | Mono-40 | Chivas 3 | Retired | |
| RET | Jens Als Andersen (DEN) | IV | Mono-40 | Fenris | Damaged | |
| RET | Karl Brinkmann (GER) | IV | Mono-40 | Fritzzz | Retired | |
| Class V | ||||||
| 1 | Mary Falk (GBR) | V | Mono-35 | QII | 19 days 22 hours 57 min | |
| RET | Brian Coad (IRL) | V | Mono-34 | Raasay of Melfort | Retired | |
| RET | Daniel Verger (FRA) | V | Ol'Goud | Dismasted | ||
| RET | Franco Malingri (ITA) | V | Tri-33 | Star Trek | Retired | |
| RET | Johannes van de Wijgerd (NED) | V | Mono-31 | Off Course | Retired | |
| Class VI | ||||||
| 1 | Michel Kleinjans (BEL) | VI | Mono-30 | P M Charles | 20 days 14 hours 58 min | |
| 2 | David Scully (USA) | VI | Mono-30 | Hot Glue Gun | 21 days 12 hours 07 min | |
| 3 | Fabrizio Tellarini (ITA) | VI | Mono-30 | Megaptera | 21 days 23 hours 20 min | |
| 4 | Franco Manzoli (ITA) | VI | Mono-30 | Golfo Tigullio | 22 days 01 hours 30 min | |
| 5 | Bob Beggs (GBR) | VI | Cat-26 | Clarks Active Air | 24 days 15 hours 05 min | |
| 6 | Ronny Nollet (BEL) | VI | Mono-29.5 | Luneborg | 25 days 10 hours 05 min | |
| 7 | Jacques Crochemore (FRA) | VI | Mono-28 | Senseï | 27 days 21 hours 59 min | |
| 8 | Derek Hatfield (CAN) | VI | Mono-30 | Gizmo | 28 days 11 hours 20 min | |
| 9 | Datcho Datchev (GBR) | VI | Mono-30 | Chance | 43 days 13 hours 00 min | |
| 10 | Mike Richey (GBR) | VI | Mono-25 | Jester | 56 days 10 hours 54 min | |
| RET | Gianfranco Tortolani (ITA) | VI | Mono-30 | Città di Salerno | Retired | |
| RET | Herbert Uphues (GER) | VI | Mono-29 | Tramp VI | Retired | |
| RET | Sherman Wright (USA) | VI | Mono-27 | Andromeda | Retired | |
The Europe 1 New Man STAR, 2000
With sponsorship from Europe 1 and New Man, a French sportswear manufacturer, the fortieth anniversary edition of the OSTAR was run under the title Europe 1 New Man STAR.[29]
A surprising total of 24 Open 60 monohulls entered the race; most of these were using the event as a qualifying run for the 2000-2001 Vendée Globe starting later in the year. One of these was the youngest racer in the fleet at age 23, Ellen MacArthur in her new Owen-Clarke designed Open 60 Kingfisher; she beat the big names to become the surprise winner of the monohull division, and the youngest ever winner of the race. The overall winner was Francis Joyon, in his trimaran Eure et Loir.[4][30][31][32]
| Pos. | Skipper | Boat | Time | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORMA 60 Multihulls | ||||
| 1 | Francis Joyon (FRA) | Eure et Loir | 9 days 23 hours 21 min | |
| 2 | Marc Guillemot (FRA) | Biscuits la Trinitaine | 10 days 1 hours 59 min | |
| 3 | Franck Cammas (FRA) | Groupama | 10 days 2 hours 40 min | |
| 4 | Alain Gautier (FRA) | Foncia | 10 days 8 hours 37 min | |
| 5 | Jean-Luc Nelias (FRA) | Belgacom | 10 days 19 hours 35 min | |
| 6 | Yvan Bourgnon (SUI) | Bayer en France | 16 days 6 hours 21 min | |
| 7 | Lalou Roucayrol (FRA) | Banque Populaire | retired - lost a hull | |
| IMOCA 60 Monohulls | ||||
| 1 | Ellen MacArthur (GBR) | Kingfisher | 14 days 23 hours 01 min | |
| 2 | Roland Jourdain (FRA) | Sill Beurre le Gall | 15 days 13 hours 38 min | |
| 3 | Mike Golding (GBR) | Team Group 4 | 15 days 14 hours 50 min | |
| 4 | Thierry Dubois (FRA) | Solidaires | 15 days 15 hours 33 min | |
| 5 | Giovanni Soldini (ITA) | Fila | 16 days 04 hours 10 min | |
| 6 | Catherine Chabaud (FRA) | Whirlpool | 16 days 10 hours 19 min | |
| 7 | Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) | PRB | 16 days 15 hours 51 min | |
| 8 | Marc Thiercelin (FRA) | Active Wear | 17 days 15 hours 44 min | |
| 9 | Dominique Wavre (SUI) | Union Bancaire Privee | 17 days 17 hours 02 min | |
| 10 | Joe Seeten (FRA) | Nord Pas de Calais | 18 days 02 hours 22 min | |
| 11 | Xavier Lecoeur (FRA) | GEB | 19 days 13 hours 03 hours min | |
| 12 | Didier Munduteguy (FRA) | DDP 60me Sud | 21 days 07 hours 18 min | |
| 13 | Patrick Favre (FRA) | Adrenalines | 31 days 05 hours 19 min | |
| DNF | Yves Parlier (FRA) | Aquitaine Innovations | retired - dismasted | |
| DNF | Thomas Coville (FRA) | Sodebo Savourons la Vie | retired - dismasted | |
| DNF | Eric Dumont (FRA) | Services Euroka | retired - dismasted | |
| DNF | Dirk Gunst (BEL) | Tomidi | retired - autopilot failure | |
| DNF | Richard Tolkien (GBR) | This Time | retired - sail damage | |
| DNF | Bruce Burgess (GBR) | Hawaiian Express | retired for personal reasons | |
Faraday Mill OSTAR 2005
The 2005 event was the first held for smaller boats, again under the name OSTAR, sponsored by Faraday Mill.
35 boats took part with 16 forced to retire. Franco Manzoli won the race in Cotonella, taking 17 days and 21 hours to finish. The 2005 race featured the first single-handed, trans-atlantic crossing by a profoundly deaf person: Gerry Hughes.[33]
| Skipper | Boat | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Trimarans | ||
| Franco Manzoli | Cotonella | 17 days 21 hours 41 min |
| Roger Langevin | Branec IV | 18 days 06 hours 7 min |
| Pierre Antoine | Spirit | 18 days 08 hours 43 min |
| Leon Bart | Houd van Hout | 25 days 16 hours 45 min |
| Aurelia Ditton | Shockwave | 27 days 09 hours 19 min |
| Anne Caseneuve | Acanthe Ingénierie | retired - injured knee |
| Etienne Giroire | Up My Sleeve | retired |
| Ross Hobson | Mollymawk | retired - broken daggerboard |
| Monohulls | ||
| Steve White | Olympian Challenger | 20 days 05 hours 24 min |
| Yves Lepine | Atlantix Express | 21 days 04 hours 40 min |
| Nico Budel | Hayai | 21 days 18 hours 17 min |
| Philip Rubright | Echo Zulu | 23 days 22 hours 50 min |
| Lionel Regnier | Trois Mille Sabords | 25 days 23 hours 48 min |
| Mervyn Wheatley | Tamarind | 26 days 02 hours 48 min |
| Peter Keig | Zeal | 27 days 11 hours 31 min |
| Stephen Gratton | Amelie of Dart | 30 days 4 hours 32 min |
| Richard Hatton | Chimp | 30 days 18 hours 7 min |
| Huib Swets | Vijaya | 32 days 5 hours 4 min |
| Gerry Hughes | Quest II | 34 days 4 hours 15 min |
| Paul Heiney | Ayesha of St Mawes | 35 days 14 hours 19 min |
| Groot Cees | Reality | 41 days 16 hours 15 min |
| Tony Waldeck | Adrienne May | retired - broken mainsail luff cars |
| Michel Jaheny | Chivas III | retired |
| Patrice Carpentier (FRA) | VM Materiaux | retired |
| Bart Boosman | De Franschman | retired - broken shroud |
| Hannah White (GBR) | Spirit of Canada | retired - broken autopilot |
| Peter Crowther | Suomi Kudu | retired - broken forestay |
| Michel Kleinjans | Roaring Forty | retired - bulkhead problems |
| Pieter Ardiaans | Robosail | retired - boom, vang problems |
| Ronny Nollet | La Promesse | retired - previous back injury |
| Pierre Chatelin | Destination Calais | retired - problems with boat |
| Bertus Buys | Sea Beryl | retired - mainsail damage |
| Bram Van De Loosdrecht | Octavus | retired - dismasted |
| Jacques Dewez | Blue Shadow | retired - damaged at start |
OSTAR 2009
The 2009 OSTAR started on 25 May 2009. The skipper's blogs were published on www.blogstar.org.uk
| Skipper | Boat | Elapsed Time |
|---|---|---|
| JanKees Lampe | LA PROMESSE | 17 days 17 hours 40 min |
| Rob Craigie | Jbellino | 19 days 00 hours 10 min |
| Roberto Westerman | Spinning Wheel | 19 days 03 hours 14 min |
| Hannah White | Pure Solo | 20 days 00 hours 22 min |
| Barry Hurley | Dinah | 20 days 22 hours 35 min |
| Luca Zoccoli | In Direzione Ostinata e Contraria | 20 days 22 hours 39 min |
| Jerry Freeman | QII | 21 days 02 hours 49 min |
| Oscar Mead | King of Shaves | 21 days 12 hours 24 min |
| Katie Miller | BluQube | 21 days 18 hours 53 min |
| Uwe Rottgering | Fanfan! | 21 days 22 hours 42 min |
| Marco Nannini | British Beagle | 21 days 23 hours 44 min |
| Huib Swets | Vijaya | 22 days 03 hours 41 min |
| Dick Koopmans | Jager | 22 days 04 hours 35 min |
| Bard Boosman | De Franschman | 22 days 21 hours 04 min |
| Will Sayer | Elmarleen | 23 days 01 hours 30 min |
| Pip Hildesley | Cazenove Capital | 23 days 14 hours 05 min |
| Christian Chalandre | Olbia | 24 days 09 hours 06 min |
| John Falla | Banjaard | 24 days 20 hours 55 min |
| Michael Collins | Flamingo Lady | 27 days 05 hours 31 min |
| Andrew Petty | Jemima Nicholas | 28 days 15 hours 57 min |
| Peter Crowther | Suomi Kudu | 29 days 02 hours 15 min |
| Peter Bourke | Rubicon | 39 days 07 hours 56 min |
| Geoff Alcorn | Wind of Lorne II | over time limit |
| Mervyn Wheatley | Tamarin | retired |
| Jacques Bouchacourt | Okami | retired |
| Rob Cumming | Egotripp | retired |
| Gianfranco Tortolani | Città di Salerno | retired |
| Paul Brant | Ninjod | retired |
| Jonathan Snodgrass | Lexia | retired |
| Anne Caseneuve | Croisières Anne Caseneuve | retired |
 Reini Gelder | Light For The World | retired |
OSTAR 2013
The 2013 OSTAR started on 27 May 2013.
| Skipper | Boat | Time Elapsed | Time Corrected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multihull Class | |||
| Roger Langevin | Branec VI | 18 days 05 hours 49 min | 25 days 19 hours 31 min |
| Joanna Pajkowska | Cabrio 2 | 27 days 23 hours 53 min | 28 days 20 hours 02 min |
| Gypsy Moth Class | |||
| Richard Lett | Pathway to Children | 22 days 06 hours 13 min | 22 days 22 hours 47 min |
| Andrea Mura | Vento Di Sardegna | 17 days 11 hours 12 min | 23 days 09 hours 19 min |
| Jac Sandberg | Spirit | 22 days 21 hours 10 min | 24 days 06 hours 07 min |
| Nico Budel | sec. Hayai | 21 days 17 hours 02 min | 27 days 00 hours 10 min |
| Ralph Villiger | Ntombifuti | 36 days 08 hours 12 min | 37 days 12 hours 59 min |
| Jester Class | |||
| Jonathan Green | Jeroboam | 23 days 07 hours 16 min | 22 days 04 hours 25 min |
| Charles Emmett | British Beagle | 28 days 01 hours 30 min | 26 days 05 hours 03 min |
| Krystian Szypka | Sunrise | 28 days 13 hours 30 min | 27 days 21 hours 44 min |
| Mervyn Wheatley | Tamarind | 30 days 04 hours 59 min | 28 days 02 hours 14 min |
| Pether Crowther | Suomi Kudu | 30 days 14 hours 13 min | 28 days 19 hours 38 min |
| Eira Class | |||
| Geoff Alcorn | Wind of Lorne II | 58 days 08 hours 20 min | 50 days 00 hours 05 min |
OSTAR 2017
The 2017 OSTAR started on 29 May 2017.
| SKIPPER | YACHT | TYPE / LOA . CLASS | H/CAP | ELAPSED TIME | CORRECTD TIME | Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conor Fogerty (IRL) | Bam | M 36GM | 1.037 | 21 days 02 hours 45 min | 21 days 21 hours 30 min | 1 |
| Andrea Mura (ITA) | Vento di Sardegna | M 50 GM | 1.411 | 17 days 04 hours 06 min | 24 days 05 hours 28 min | 2 |
| Mark Hipgrave (AUS) | Mister Lucky | M 36 GM | 1.036 | 24 days 17 hours 20 min | 25 days 14 hours 42 min | 3 |
| Christian Chalandre (FRA) | Olbia | M34J | 0.896 | 32 days 14 hours 09 min | 29 days 04 hours 49 min | 4 |
| Neil Payter (GBR) | Solent I | M33J | 0.904 | 35 days 05 hours 09 min | 31 days 20 hours 01 min | 5 |
| Christophe Dietsch (FRA) | Breizh Cola | M35 | Retired | |||
| Keith Walton (GBR) | Harmonii | M49GM | 1.022 | Retired | ||
| Michele Zambelli (ITA) | Illumia 12 | M31GM | 1.096 | Abandon | ||
| Lionel Regnier (FRA) | One And All | M 36 | Retired | |||
| Andrzej Kopytko (POL) | Opole | M37 J | 0.961 | Retired | ||
| David Southwood (GBR) | Summerbird | M 40J | 0.913 | Retired | ||
| Peter Crowther (GBR) | Suomi Kudu | M38 J | 0.945 | Retired | ||
| Mervyn Wheatley (GBR) | Tamarind | M42 J | 0.940 | Sank | ||
 Ricardo Diniz (POR) | Taylor 325 | M60 GM | 1.362 | Retired | ||
| Kass Schmitt (USA) | Zest | M36J | 0.996 | Retired | ||
OSTAR 2022
The 60th anniversary of the OSTAR was originally planned to start on 10 May 2020, but was twice postponed due to the global pandemic. The renamed 2022 OSTAR started on 15 May 2022.
| SKIPPER | YACHT | TYPE / LOA . CLASS | H/CAP | ELAPSED TIME | CORRECTD TIME | Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Markus Moser (SWI) | Lifgun | M 50GM | 1.131 | 21 days 06 hours 0 min | 24 days 0 hours 49 min | 1 |
| James Mansell (GBR) | Escape | M 39 GM | 0.968 | 26 days 04 hours 10 min | 25 days 08 hours 04 min | 2 |
| Herve Dupriez (FRA) | Polynya | M 36 J | 0.896 | 29 days 22 hours 47 min | 26 days 20 hours 01 min | 3 |
| Mihail Kopanov (BUL) | Krone One | M 39 GM | 1.059 | Retired | ||
| Neil Payter (GBR) | Cariberia | M40GM | 1.220 | Retired | ||
| Jacek Chabowlski (POL) | Blue Horizon | M47 GM | 0.993 | Retired | ||
| Tomasz Ladyko (POL) | Oddesy | M 35 J | 0.941 | Retired | ||