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They were labeled outsiders. Cindy Brin and Thomas André defied all odds by winning third place in this edition of the Transat Paprec. After 18 days, 20 hours, 2 minutes, and 21 seconds of racing, the Cap Saint-Barth duo narrowly claimed their podium spot. Despite the late hour (3 a.m.), hundreds of boats were there to warmly welcome Cindy and Thomas to the sound of foghorns. With cheers, the Cap Saint-Barth duo celebrated this victory on the pontoon, sharing their immense joy with the spectators.
The Cap Saint-Barth crew fought to the very end in this race with its completely unpredictable outcome. From the start in Concarneau, Thomas and Cindy showed their competitors that they should not be underestimated by winning the coastal course. After a very eventful passage through the La Palma waypoint, the duo gradually took their place in the leading trio that guided the race throughout the second week. However, with just four days to go, the light zone reshuffled the cards and reversed the ranking: the Cap Saint-Barth duo briefly found themselves at the back of the fleet. Thomas and Cindy didn't lose hope and maintained their northern position, which ultimately paid off. In a fierce battle over the final 24 hours of racing, Cindy and Thomas climbed the rankings to rejoin the leading group. The fleet was so close that it took until the final minutes to determine whether Cap Saint-Barth would make the podium. The outsider duo edged out the Selencia-Cerfrance crew by just thirty seconds to secure third place.
On the docks of Gustavia, the crowd turned out in force to welcome the native. Members of the Saint-Barth Yacht Club were handing out signs featuring Cindy and Thomas. "Cindy is our sons' coach, she represents Saint-Barth, we simply love her," summarized one spectator. "We're also waiting for Thomas, who deserves credit for putting up with her for 18 days." On the pontoon, it was difficult to hear the two skippers' reactions due to the cheers from the crowd. "I knew I'd have a welcoming committee, but this is stratospheric," summarized Cindy. As usual, Cindy tried to avoid the microphone, but without success. "I said at the beginning that if there was a misunderstanding, we didn't know what could happen, but this misunderstanding is global," the island native joked. "We thought we were going to win several times, especially when we were alongside Wings of the Ocean and Macif," Thomas explained. "We had a great race! It's lucky Cindy was there, because if she didn't know the area, we wouldn't have finished third." Cindy confided in the many periods of doubt she faced: "I doubted myself every day. Thomas has the gift of giving confidence. It's lucky he was there, otherwise I would have already jumped in the water." Above all, the young girl from the island spoke of her pride in realizing her life's dream. "24 years ago, I was on my father's boat for the finish of the Transat and I said one day, it will be me. Today, I did it!" The first woman from the island to participate in the Transat Paprec, Cindy becomes the first Saint-Barth to win a place on the podium of this legendary race.
