NEWPORT, Rhode Island - Swiss sailor Bernard Stamm won the Around Alone race yesterday after seven months at sea dodging icebergs and enduring storms and high wind.

The 28,000-mile event, in which Bermuda's Alan Paris is competing, is considered the world's longest one-person race.

The five-leg race started in New York last September and the final stretch began on April 13, covering 4,000 miles from Brazil to Newport.

Stamm crossed the finish line at dawn in Narragansett Bay, about 400 miles ahead of his nearest competitor. Clean shaven and relaxed, he rode light winds during the last five miles in a slight rain.

Stamm was greeted by cheering and photo-snapping fans. Swiss Ambassador Raymond Loretan handed him a large bottle of champagne. The sailor popped it open and sprayed the small crowd on the pier.

"I find it difficult to tell myself I've been right around the world and that it's over now," he said.

Stamm gave landlocked Switzerland another yachting victory. Two months ago, the Swiss boat Alinghi swept Team New Zealand to win the America's Cup. Loretan hailed the Swiss as the "best nation of sailors."

The Around Alone race has been held every four years since 1982. Stamm's total time at sea was 115 days, 18 hours, 27 minutes and 23 seconds. He said the biggest challenge came while sailing through changing weather conditions.

"There was the beauty of the long surfing waves in the South, with the mind-blowing fear of running into an iceberg or the terrible frustration you feel when there is no wind," he said.

The 39-year-old Stamm learned to sail on Lake Geneva in Switzerland. He now lives on the French coast in Brittany.

The remaining four skippers in the 50-foot to 60-foot category were expected to arrive in Newport through the weekend. Four others competing in the 40-foot to 50-foot category, including Paris, are likely to arrive early next week.

At last report, Paris and his boat BTC Velocity, were less than 2,000 nautical miles from the finish line.

Due to take up his new post of director of the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute on May 27, Paris will be hoping to cross the finish line before the race's official prize-giving on May 17.

Commenting on the short time span between finishing and taking up his new post, the Bermudian said in his latest despatch: "Although this will be a bit of a rush, I feel that it's important to get on with my `new life' after the Around Alone' as soon as possible.

"Down time will lead to reflection and some of those thoughts are bound to be quite emotional as the Around Alone family breaks up and we all go our separate ways, even though the bond that has been established during this race will remain forever."