THE SIDELINES : 1st-Leg Race Winner Says Yacht Victory Belongs to Countryman

French solo sailor Christophe Auguin won the opening leg of the BOC Challenge round-the-world yacht race today but said victory belonged to countryman Alain Gautier who arrived more than six hours earlier.

Race officials ruled that a 16.5-hour penalty issued to Gautier for being late for pre-start formalities in Newport, R.I., would stand.

“Gautier is the real winner,” the 30-year-old Auguin said when he stepped ashore after 38 days and 18 hours at sea.

Auguin sailed his 60-foot sloop Groupe Sceta across the finish line between Cape Town and the offshore prison of Robben Island a few seconds after noon.

Gautier, 28, had arrived in the dark at 5:12 a.m.

Gautier criticized the hour-for-hour penalty. “I was first in Cape Town. I think I deserve this leg. I respect all the rules while I am racing, but this penalty was imposed before we even started, and I think that is incredible.”

Auguin offered to help Gautier fight the ruling that cost him the first leg in the eight-month race over 27,000 miles.