Queen Mary 2 wins transatlantic challenge

The Queen Mary 2 has won the The Bridge-Centennial Transat, crossing the finish line under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York at 5am local time, before bathing in a flawless dawn in New York Bay.

The race, between the liner and four of the world's most famous trimarans, is a transatlantic celebration of friendship and solidarity between France and the United States, and marks a century since American soldiers arrived on French shores in 1917 to join the Allies in World War I.

The five vessels left Saint-Nazaire, where the Cunard liner was built, and where the first US soldiers disembarked in June 1917, on Sunday, June 25. Queen Mary crossed the finish line five days later, in the early hours of Saturday, July 1.

The four multi-hulls - helmed by skippers Thomas Coville for Sodebo Ultim, Francis Joyon for Idec Sport, and the two fastest around-the-world sailors, François Gabart for Macif, and Yves Le Blévec for Actual - are still racing across the Atlantic.