* Johnstone family relative Brad Van Liew
claims victory after spending more than 500 days alone at sea in the
last fifteen years, racing under extreme conditions around the planet
earth. Sleeping in brief catnaps around the clock, subsiding on
dehydrated food, and enduring the physical and mental challenges of solo
racing around the globe on a high tech 60-foot race boat may sound
appalling to some, but Brad keeps asking for more. He is the very first
American to ever officially finish three solo races around the globe, a
remarkable accomplishment in and of itself. He is also the first 
person
worldwide to sweep all legs of the Velux 5 Oceans race for two complete
events, an even more remarkable accomplishment. In the last leg of
this year's Velux 5 Ocean Race, he crossed the finish line to win 1st
Place overall aboard his LE PINGOUIN ECO 60 boat claiming victory as the
only entry from the USA and undoubtedly America's finest solo ocean
racer."I feel the exuberance and joy of winning an incredible race and experiencing the unforgettable journey of sailing around the world alone," said Van Liew while waiting outside the locks to enter La Rochelle's historic Harbor. "There is just nothing else in the world like it. The challenges are unique and can be dangerous and invigorating at the same time. It is a test of the soul and involves reaching deep to overcome physical and mental challenges I have seen nowhere else in sport or life." For more sailing information on Brad's LE PINGOUIN Velux 5 adventures Sailing photo credit- Ainhoa Sanchez br />
