Alex Pella

Alex Pella
Personal information
Nationality Spanish
Born (1972-11-02) 2 November 1972
Barcelona
Website alexpella.es
Sport
Country  Spain
Sport Sailing
Club  Real Club Náutico de Barcelona
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)
  • 1º Route du Rhum 2014 (First and only Spanish to win a transoceanic single-handed regatta)
  • 2º Mini Transat 6.50 2005 (First and only Spanish to win a leg of a transoceanic single-handed regatta)
  • 3º Mini Transat 6.50 2003 (First and only Spanish podium on a transoceanic single-handed regatta)

Alex Pella (born 2 November 1972) is a Spanish sailor. In 2014 he became the first and only Spanish to win a transoceanic single-handed race, the legendary Route du Rhum.

Early life

Alex was born in Barcelona on the 2nd of November 1972, within a nautical environment and a sailing family. Second of four brothers, who have all made boats and sailing their profession, he began to sail as a very young boy aboard his family’s yacht. To date, Alex has sailed on all kinds of racing boats, from the light Mini Transat 6.50 to the most sophisticated Maxi-Trimarans.

Alex has been a professional sailor for over 10 years, in which he has completed more than 150.000 nautical miles. He discovered his passion for offshore single-handed sailing at the end of the 90’s while preparing two Spanish boats for the Solitaire du Figaro.

In his first internationally renowned race -the legendary Mini Transat 6.50 - Alex Pella obtained the best classifications in history for a non-French skipper. He was third in 2003 and second in 2005, winning the long leg from the Canary Islands to Brazil.

He thus became the first and only Spanish to win a leg in a transoceanic solo race.[1]

Other accomplishments

On 19 November 2014, Alex Pella wins the Route du Rhum aboard the "Tales II" and becomes the first and only Spanish to win a transoceanic single-handed regatta.

Alex Pella wrote himself into the history books of the Route du Rhum solo Transatlantic race and Spanish ocean racing when he crossed the finish line of the 3542 miles La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe race first in Class40 at 06:47:08 hrs TU/07:47:08hrs CET/02:47:08 Local Gaudeloupe.

He sets a new course record of 16d17h47m8s, beating the 2010 mark for the 40 foot Class 17d 23h 10m by 1d 5h 23m 09s.

After starting off Saint Malo on his 42nd birthday, Sunday 2 November, the Spanish sailor took 16d17h47m8s to complete the 3542 miles course, at a theoretical average speed of 8.82kts. In reality he sailed 4336 miles at an average of 10.79kts.[2]

Sporting career

2015:

2014:

2013:

2012:

2011:

2010:

2009:

2008:

2007:

2006:

2005:

2004:

2003:

Awards

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ "Pella takes leg two of the Mini Transat, while Corentin Douguet is the decisive winner". thedailysail.com. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  2. ↑ "Spain's Pella Writes Himself Into Rhum Record Books". Official Route du Rhum webpage. Retrieved 2014-11-19.
  3. ↑ "RTVE - Telediario 1- Alex Pella, Jules Verne Trophy". RTVE. Retrieved 2015-12-25.
  4. ↑ "Yacht breaks 20-year-old Round Ireland sailing record". Irish Times. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
  5. ↑ "The Indian Ocean Record Ratified: Exactly 7 Days". World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC, the international body, which manages and officially recognises sailing records). Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  6. ↑ "RTVE - Telediario 1- Alex Pella gana y bate el récord en la Route du Rhum 2014". RTVE. Retrieved 2014-11-19.
  7. ↑ "NYYC New York-Barcelona Transoceanic Sailing Record Is Established". New York Yacht Club. Retrieved 2010-04-21.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, April 25, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.