after setting a record for fastest Newport to Bermuda crossing.

The French skipper and his crew aboard CCP Cray Valley arrived in St. George's Sunday afternoon, 53 hours, 46 minutes and 10 seconds after leaving the Rhode Island port in a snowstorm.

That was nearly four hours faster than the previous best of 57:31:50, set by Boomerang during the Newport to Bermuda race in June -- and according to Mouligne that's all it is.

"The record really only means what people want it to mean. We're not trying to show that we're faster than Boomerang .

"With the same weather conditions ... I'm sure the record is very beatable.'' Concurring with the skipper's statements were current Royal Bermuda Yacht Club commodore Tom Miller and his immediate predecessor Brian Billings.

Both offered congratulations to Mouligne and his crew for the swift passage, but neither viewed it in the same light as that of the 80-foot maxi Boomerang's , which occurred in June and was subjected to the strict rules and regulations which govern the Newport-to-Bermuda race.

"It's comparing apples to oranges as opposed to apples to apples,''said Billings with a chuckle. "...if Boomerang came across at the same time there's no telling what she could have done.'' "I think it's a nice accomplishment and I commend them for it, but I don't really look at it as breaking the Newport-to-Bermuda race record,'' added Miller. "For this they are able to pick out ideal conditions and set out when everything's in their favour, whereby there are rules set out for the race which all the boats have to abide by.'' The Cray Valley , a 50-foot, high-tech sloop, was launched in June and this was the first serious test for the boat Mouligne intends to sail solo around the world.

Mouligne has previously sailed the Newport-to-Bermuda Race single-handed three times, never arriving faster than four days.

When he and the crew of Henry Little, Rob Myles and Dolph Gabeler left on Friday, he viewed the Island as merely a "destination,'' albeit a "very special'' one. But he was hoping his achievement would create additional interest in a) yacht racing and b) Bermuda.

Newport to Bermuda is "such a classic,'' Mouligne said. "Thousands and thousands of boats have done it and I'm very proud that we've done it the fastest. Sailing to Bermuda is never easy. It's always a challenge.'' With a two-day window of strong northeast winds, shifting to northwest Cray Valley averaged 14 knots an hour in swells as high as 25 feet.

"The seas were high but not dangerous,'' he said.

Taking advantage of the winds, the boat actually sailed well east of the rhumb-line, a total of 760 miles -- or about 100 miles more than taking the trip in a straight line. He and the crew are planning on leaving tomorrow for the voyage back.

RECORD RUN -- The crew of Cray Valley -- from left, skipper Jean-Pierre Mouligne, Henry Little, Rob Myles and Dolph Gabeler -- are all smiles after setting the record for fastest Newport to Bermuda crossing. They beat Boomerang 's mark, set in June, by nearly four hours.