Alex Pella (born 2 November 1972) is a Spanish yachtsman. In 2014 he became the first Spaniard to win a transoceanic single-handed race, the

Route du Rhum The Route du Rhum is a wikt:transatlantic, transatlantic Single-handed sailing, single-handed yacht racing, yacht race, which takes place every four years in November. The course is between Saint Malo, Brittany, Metropolitan France and Pointe-à- ...

. Alex Pella made history once again, on 26 January 2017, when he broke, with the rest of the team, the absolute round-the-world speed sailing record, known as the

Jules Verne Trophy The Jules Verne Trophy is a prize for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by any type of yacht with no restrictions on the size of the crew provided the vessel has registered with the organization and paid an entry fee. A vessel holding t ...

, aboard the sophisticated maxi-multihull

IDEC 3 ''IDEC SPORT'' (formerly ''Groupama 3'', ''Banque Populaire VII'', ''Lending Club 2'', ''IDEC 3'') is a racing sailing trimaran designed for transoceanic record-setting. She is one of the world's fastest ocean-going sailing vessels and the cur ...

. They circumnavigated the planet in 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds.

Early life

Alex was born in

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

on 2 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 15 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 1990s while preparing two Spanish boats for the

Solitaire du Figaro The Solitaire du Figaro, previously called the Course de l'Aurore, is a solo multi-stage sailing race created in 1970 by Jean-Louis Guillemard and . The unique character of the race, the presence of great solo sailors and its being open to amateu ...

. In his first internationally renowned race -the 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.

Other accomplishments

On 19 November 2014, Alex Pella won the

aboard the "Tales II" and became the first and only Spaniard to win a transoceanic single-handed regatta. Alex Pella wrote himself into the history books of the

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 Class40 is a class of monohull sailboat and a yacht primarily used for short handed offshore and coastal racing. The class is administered by International Class40 Association which is recognised by the World Sailing. Background In 2004 former ...

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 speed of 10.79kts.

Sporting career

2021: *1st RORC Transatlantic Race, aboard the Multi50 "Rayon Vert" * Ultim 32/23 Circuit *Classic Yachts Circuit, aboard the S&S

Sparkman & Stephens Sparkman & Stephens is a naval architecture and yacht brokerage firm with offices in Newport, Rhode Island and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. The firm performs design and engineering of new and existing vessels for pleasure, commercial, and milit ...

"Galvana" of The Pella Brothers 2020: *3rd RORC Caribbean 600 – Swan Challenges Series, aboard the Swan65 S&S

"Libelula" * Ultim 32/23 Circuit 2019: *3rd Brest Atlantiques, aboard the Ultim "Actual Leader" with Yves Le Blevec * Ultim 32/23 Circuit (Armen Race,

Fastnet Race The Fastnet Race is a biennial offshore yacht race organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) of the United Kingdom with the assistance of the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes and the City of Cherbourg in France. The race is named after th ...

...etc.) *3rd Défi Atlantique, aboard the Class 40 "Made in Midi" with Kito de Pavant *2nd Panerai Transat Classique, aboard the Yawl Olin Stephens "Stiren" 2018: *Record Hong Kong - London, Tea Route, in 36 days, 2 hours, 37 minutes and 12 seconds, aboard the MOD70 Maserati *3rd Swan Cup, aboard the Swan65 S&S

"Libelula" *Classic Yachts Circuit, aboard the S&S

"Galvana" of The Pella Brothers 2017: *1st

Transat Jacques Vabre Transat may refer to: * Transat A.T., Canadian tour and travel agency ** Air Transat, Canadian airline owned by Transat A.T. * Concept Composites MD03 Transat, French ultralight aircraft * "The Transat", also called the Single-Handed Trans-Atlant ...

, Multi50 aboard the Arkema in 10 days, 19 hours, 14 minutes and 19 seconds *

, absolute round-the-world speed sailing record, aboard the

. Fastest circumnavigation of the world in 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds *2nd The Bridge, aboard the

*South Indian Ocean Record in 5 days, 21 hours, 7 minutes and 45 seconds, aboard the

*South Pacific Ocean Record in 7 days, 21 hours, 13 minutes and 31 seconds, aboard the

*Equator to Equator Record in 29 days, 9 hours, 10 minutes and 55 seconds, aboard the

*Classic Yachts Circuit, aboard the S&S

"Galvana" of The Pella Brothers *In 2017-18, he was a crewmember on leg 3 with Team AkzoNobel in the Volvo Ocean Race . 2016: *

, record attempt, aboard the

. Circumnavigation of the world in 47 days, 14 hours and 47 minutes *Substitute of the

Vendée Globe --> The Vendée Globe is a single-handed (solo) non-stop, unassisted round the world yacht race. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years. It is named after the Département of Vendé ...

, round-the-world, single-handed regatta, for the French skipper Kito de Pavant *

IMOCA 60 The IMOCA ("Open 60") is a 60ft (18.3 m) development class monohull sailing yacht governed by the International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA). The class pinnacle event are single or two person ocean races, such as the Route du Rhum an ...

Circuit *Abandon

Transat Québec-Saint-Malo Transat may refer to: * Transat A.T., Canadian tour and travel agency ** Air Transat, Canadian airline owned by Transat A.T. * Concept Composites MD03 Transat, French ultralight aircraft * "The Transat", also called the Single-Handed Trans-Atlant ...

, capsized aboard the "MOD70 Musandam Oman-Sail" *Classic Yachts Circuit, aboard the S&S

"Galvana" of The Pella Brothers 2015: *1st Sailing Arabia – The Tour, aboard the “EFG Bank (Monaco)” of Sidney Gavignet *Round Ireland Sailing Record in 40 hours, 51 minutes and 57 seconds, aboard the " MOD 70 Musandam-Oman Sail" *Indian Ocean Record in 6 days, 23 hours and 4 minutes, aboard the ''

'', between Cape Agulhas in South Africa (20°East) and South East Cape in Tasmania (146°49 East) 2014: *1st

, aboard the “Tales II” *Record

–

in 16 days, 17 hours, 47 minutes and 8 seconds, aboard the “Tales II” *First and only Spanish to win a transoceanic single-handed regatta *Trophée Course Open UNCL (Union Nationale pour la Course au Large) *

Circuit 2013: *

Circuit *2nd

(Transoceanic double-handed regatta), aboard the “Tales II” of Gonzalo Botín *Oceanic Multihull Circuit *1st Around Europe, Route des Princes, aboard the Maxi-Trimaran, “Prince de Bretagne 80” of Lionel Lemonchois 2012: *

Circuit *4th Around Europe, Europa Warm’UP, aboard the “Groupe Bel” of Kito de Pavant *Substitute of the

, round-the-world, single-handed regatta, for the French skipper Kito de Pavant *Skipper of the

“DCNS” for the film “Turning Tide” (“En Solitaire”), with the famous French actor Fraçois Cluzet 2011: *

Circuit *4th

Barcelona World Race The Barcelona World Race is a non-stop, round-the-world yacht race for crews of two, sailed on Open 60 IMOCA monohull boats. Following the Clipper route, it starts and finishes in Barcelona, and is organised by the Barcelona Ocean Sailing Foun ...

(round-the-world, double-handed regatta, 30.000 miles), aboard the “Estrella Damm” 2010: *

Circuit *3rd Vuelta a España, with crew, aboard the “Estrella Damm” *Record New York – Barcelona in 12 days, 6 hours, 3 minutes and 48 seconds, aboard the “Estrella Damm” *1st

World Championships, aboard the “TALES” of Gonzalo Botín 2009: *IMOCA 60 Circuit *4th Istanbul Europa Race, aboard the “Virbac Paprec” of Jean Pierre Dick *5th

(Transoceanic double-handed regatta), aboard the “W Hotels” 2008: *

Circuit, double-handed, aboard the “Tales” of Gonzalo Botín *2nd

World Championships 2007: *Record Denia - Ibiza in 5 hours, 38 minutes and 11 seconds, aboard the “Generalitat Valenciana” * Mini Transat 6.50 Circuit, single-handed, aboard the “Generalitat Valenciana” *Abandon Mini Transat 6.50 after dismasting near Cape Verde 2006: *Med Cup Circuit

TP 52 The Transpac 52 (TP52) is a class of yacht used for competitive 52 Super Series yacht racing, and the Audi MedCup previously, besides the world championship of the class. The class is recognised by the International Sailing Federation which entitl ...

, aboard the “BRIBÓN”, skipped by S.M. Juan Carlos I * Mini Transat 6.50 Circuit, single-handed, aboard the “OpenSea” 2005: *2nd Mini Transat 6.50 (International Transoceanic single-handed regatta, 90 participants), aboard the “OpenSea-TeamWork” *First and only Spanish to win a leg of a transoceanic single-handed regatta * Mini Transat 6.50 aboard the “OpenSea” 2004: *IMS Circuit aboard the “Azur de Puig” skipped by S.A.R la Infanta Cristina * Mini Transat 6.50 Circuit aboard the “Open Sea”, double and single-handed *Preparation ORMA 60 “GITANA” Trimaran *Selected Best Spanish Sailor Year 2003 2003: *3rd Mini Transat 6.50 (International Transoceanic single-handed regatta, 90 participants) aboard the “Santiveri-Texknit” *First Spanish podium on a single-handed transoceanic regatta * Mini Transat 6.50 Circuit, aboard the “Sampaquita”

Awards

*Juan Sebastian Elcano Award 2019 *Selected Best Spanish Sailor Year 2014 *Trophée Course Open UNCL (Union Nationale pour la Course au Large) Year 2014 *Selected Best Spanish Sailor Year 2013 *Selected Best Spanish Sailor Year 2003

Filmography

* 2017
"Informe Robinson: La vuelta al mundo de Alex Pella"
* 2014
"Esta es la victoria de todos" - Route du Rhum
Documentary Alex Pella * 2013: ''Turning Tide (En solitaire)'' de Christophe Offenstei
Making-of "Turning Tide" (En solitaire)

References

External links

Official website of Alex Pella

Official Facebook of Alex Pella

Official Twitter of Alex Pella

Profile of Alex Pella on the official website of the Route du Rhum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pella, Alex 1972 births Living people Single-handed sailors Spanish male sailors (sport) Volvo Ocean Race sailors