After nearly five days of intense racing the Round Ireland race culminated in a nail biting finish with our offshore team aboard Visit Malta Puma fighting hard to the end to hold off a late challenge from British Soldier.

After a fantastic send off from Wicklow, with an Irish naval ship firing the start cannon, our two teams set off on an epic and fiercely fought 700 mile race around Ireland. With a long beat to Fastnet Rock in ideal conditions of sunshine and consistent breeze Visit Malta Puma was leading the fleet!

Shortly after the Fastnet Rock the breeze built to over 25 knots from the South West. Visit Malta Puma reveled in the downwind blast and demolished the rest of the fleet with an awesome display of downwind sailing. They established an eight mile lead over their nearest rival, British Soldier by the time they reached Northern Ireland. At this stage the guys on board can be forgiven for believing they had an unassailable lead!

However, the winds died, the tides built and a despondent team could only watch as their lead was eaten away in a three hour period with British Soldier and two others actually catching up! At this point the battle started all over again and the next thirty-six hours were the most tense and hard fought miles that any of the team had experienced.

British Soldier and Visit Malta Puma were neck and neck providing everyone at home who were glued to the trackers with a thrilling climax to the race. Eventually British Soldier made their attack and on the final afternoon they had gained a four-mile lead. Being a faster boat though, they needed to beat Visit Malta Puma by over two hours on the water with the handicap system.

In the early hours of the morning this was looking increasingly likely, the wind was yet again dying to an average of three knots and the tide was due to turn foul about the time British Solder should finish. The outcome was looking bleak.

Skipper Philippe Falle commented after finishing ‘those final few hours were the most tense and nail biting hours I have spent on the water. Just over a day ago we had an eight-mile lead, in the end we had almost given up hope of victory. However the team kept their resolve till the end, they pushed harder than I have ever known a team to push and just kept going. How we did it I have know idea, everyone was truly amazing in those final hours. What I do know is the felling of crossing that finish line, with less than two knots of boat speed, was one of the best feelings I have ever had. What a way to finish, seeing grown men cry, the loudest cheer ever on board and then the hugging, the smiles the euphoria and the sweet satisfaction of wining. That is our best victory to date and I will never forget the emotions of crossing the line in complete stillness to be broken only by the sound of the gun to mark our win.’

Visit Malta Puma were also 3rd overall and were part of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's team with Tonnerre de Bresken and Psipsina which won the 'Team Trophy'