BTC Velocity lived up to its name in New York harbour yesterday, scooting first across the start line in the 2002 Around Alone race much to the delight of Bermuda skipper Alan Paris.

At 40 feet, the yacht is the smallest in the competition for this gruelling 28,800-mile solo race. But Paris navigated through the traditional jousting for position at the official start off Battery Park to beat high profile competitors like Graham Dalton of New Zealand and Brit Emma Mitchell on larger and better funded boats across the line.

Dalton's Hexagon, a 60-footer competing in Class One as a favourite, is the most heavily supported yacht with a campaign of roughly $7 million behind it against Paris' smaller $500,000 effort.

The 13 yachts competing are now racing towards Torbay in England on the first leg of the seven-month adventure race in which “skill and a touch of madness” are said to be central to success.

With winds blowing 10 to 15 knots from the south at yesterday's noon start off Battery Park, organisers breathed a huge sigh of relief. On Saturday night, storm warnings in the New York area and predictions of 25 to 30 knot winds in the harbour led to fears the start would be difficult bordering on dangerous.

Organisers even considered taking unprecedented action in the event's history of allowing a solo sail race to start with crew.

Each captain was to be allowed the assistance of two crew members from the start line until past the mouth of the bay but less than an hour before the start, organisers pulled the extra crew off the boats as poor weather predictions failed to materialise.

While first across the line, Paris held the lead only briefly before the larger Class One competitors, sailing 60-foot crafts, began to reap the advantages of their waterlines.

Paris is competing in Class Two of Around Alone for yachts between 40 and 50 feet with six other entrants - Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America (USA, Brad Van Liew), Spirit of Canada (Derek Hatfield), Canada Challenge (Duncan Gladman), Bayer Ascensia (Canada, John Dennis), Spirit of Yukoh (Japan, Kojiro Shiraishi) and Everest Horizontal (USA, Tim Kent).

Immediately before the start of the race yesterday, he told The Royal Gazette completion was his primary goal as he attempts to become the first Bermudian to circumnavigate the globe solo sailing.

“My goal has always been to finish and to do the best I can,” he said. “For me it is not as much about the race as it is going around the world.”

BTC Velocity is expected to take between 15 and 21 days to reach England. Over the 2,910-nautical mile leg, Paris and the other Class Two competitors will lose days off the larger boats.

They will be polled for position every eight hours as they make their way around the globe, stopping in England, South Africa and New Zealand.

As the first set of positions were posted last night, Paris had fallen to fifth in his class.

The sailors must finish each of the four legs of the race within a certain time window in order to remain in the competition, which means the pressure on the smaller boats is much higher and they will have less rest and repair time in the ports.

But Paris welcomes the pressure.

In preparation for months-long solitude at the mercy of Mother Nature, he spent Saturday night with family, friends and supporters and then hit the sack early.

“I am just trying to find quiet time,” he said yesterday. “I came down to the boat at 6 a.m. I wanted to make sure I knew exactly where everything was. There are so many bits and pieces, I just wanted to reacquaint myself with everything.”

Happily, Paris reported everything on BTC Velocity was in working order although the skipper was a bit nervous.

“I think the boat is in great shape,” he said. “I feel confident but I am anxious to get out off New York Harbour safely. Once I hit the open ocean, I'll be a lot more comfortable.”

The fleet was expecting to start by tacking in high winds all the way out past Verazanno Narrows bridge while dodging spectator boats expected to be in the hundreds.

But Tropical Storm Hanna moved away from New York and the foggy and rainy conditions kept most spectator craft off the water, so the start went off without incident.

As the boats made their way towards the bridge and the open Atlantic, Paris was in good humour.

“I'm just happy to be on my way,” he said of yesterday's start.