Florence Arthaud dies in helicopter crash

Florence Arthaud died. The 57-year-old great French sailor known in her homeland as “the little sweetheart of the Atlantic,” was the victim of a helicopter accident in Argentina’s La Rioja province, where recording was taking place for the program “Dropped,” which was scheduled to be launched next summer on transalpine broadcaster TF1. Along with her, Olympic swimming champion Camille Mufat (25) and boxer Alexis Vastine (28) died, as well as seven other people (five French and two Argentine). Apparently, the two helicopters on which the ten people were on board touched after takeoff, both crashing.

A CHAMPION OF OCEAN SAILING
Born Oct. 28, 1958, in Boulogne-Billancourt, Florence Arthaud paved the way for women’s professionalism in sailing, fully embodying (pass us the somewhat macho term) the figure of a “woman with attributes.” He built his fame with memorable feats in solo ocean racing and aboard multihulls. His greatest victory was the conquest of the Route du Rhum in 1990 on the 60-foot trimaran Groupe Pierre Premier: shortly before this feat he had crossed the North Atlantic solo in 9 days, 21 hours and 42 minutes, beating Bruno Peyron’s previous record. After numerous transatlantic regattas, closed in prominent positions, she had retired from the scene in 2007. In 2011 he had risked death by falling into the water while aboard his boat in Corsica, a story that, though with a happy ending, was somewhat reminiscent of that of another French sailing great, Eric Tabarly.

Good wind, Florence.