David Barker and Lisa Borre

Awarded to David Barker and Lisa Borre (Gyatso), for their double-handed west to east Atlantic passage in May/June 2007 aboard their Tayana 37 cutter, as described in Flying Fish 2008/2 – Across the Atlantic in the ARC Europe Rally 2007.

Their voyage took them from Antigua to Bermuda, then on to Horta in the Azores and finally to Lagos, Portugal. It began well with lovely sailing conditions and 10–15 knots from east-southeast, but this was followed by stronger south-southeasterlies which saw Gyatso charging along at 7½ knots under double-reefed main and staysail and surfing down the quartering seas, to reach Bermuda in seven days. The ARC fleet left Bermuda with 25–30 knots on the nose, but soon this gave way to more pleasant conditions during which Lisa and David enjoyed the antics of playful dolphins and watched a pod of six whales passing close to the boat. Another weather system passed over them just south of the Azores, causing them to heave-to, before they entered Horta after 18 days at sea. The final leg, from Ponta Delgada to Lagos, also produced varied sailing conditions but after another 6½ days at sea their ambition was accomplished – their first Atlantic crossing!