Sailing | Two “winners” of the historic Vendée Globe competition

Michelle Maroua
Journalism

First at the finish line, Frenchman Charlie Dalin had, however, to concede the official win to his compatriot Yannick Bestaffin, the third to cross the finish line at Les Sables de Olon.

Get out (Apfia) She completed this round the world non-stop and unassisted in 80 days 6 hours 15 minutes 47 seconds. Pestafin (MSc CoQ IVHe arrived Thursday morning (local time), after 7 hours and 44 minutes, but got 10 hours and 15 minutes as a reward after he was transferred to participate in the rescue of another competitor, Kevin Escofer, in mid-December. So it was by the 2 hours 31 minutes feature that the 48-year-old winner was announced.

Bestaffin, who was participating for the second time, succeeds his compatriot Armelle le Cleac, the 2017 winner with a new record (74 days). Her first attempt, in 2008, was soon cut short, after she had been horrified in the early hours. This year, in very difficult conditions, he made sure to spare his sailboat, which explains his fluctuations.

Slightly late to entering the Indian Ocean, Pestafin sped up after saving Escovier and took advantage of the leaders’ problems to take first place in the Pacific. First in Cape Horn, he then saw Dalen and several other competitors eclipse him as he sailed across the Atlantic.

Building on the strength of his improvement, the La Rochelle captain was able to achieve his victory by choosing a different path towards the end. Climbing north, he was then able to take advantage of favorable winds to rush towards Les Sables-d’Olonne, averaging nearly 20 knots, in the final hours of the race.

During the day, Pistaven is still not sure about the outcome, but he is very optimistic, and confirmed in a short video: “It’s a historic match with Fendi Globe, very close. I did my all throughout the race, and I really want to thank everyone who has supported us in all of this. ”

Handsome Dalin player

Dalin had appeared in the port of Vendée early in the evening, already in the dark night, but in the presence of a large crowd, despite instructions from the authorities. “It was a racing hell, an adventure hell,” he said a few minutes after the end, in an interview on the race site.

He added, “It is a lot of feelings to move from a loner in the world to all these boats, all your supporters, so, in a jiffy,” summarizing a sentiment shared by all the other skippers who followed him. The night.

Dalin is still not sure of the race result at the time of the interview, and he was a good player: “Normally, Vendée Globe doesn’t go that way, but the rewards are normal. If I had been the one who called the race managers to save Kevin, I would have done so without hesitation.

For his debut in the Vendée Globe at the age of 36, Dalin was the tough guy in the race, driving more than 37 days (48% of the time). Its race wasn’t easy, in particular, due to the thwarting of the port which had been unusable since mid-December.

He said, “There have been ups and downs, and a lot of reform.” It’s a great experience. I crossed India, the Pacific Ocean, my first Cape Horn … that day, I got back on the road, I was tired just thinking about it, the number of maneuvers!

“The hardest thing is losing foil. I really thought the race was over, that I was going to finish in Australia or New Zealand. I collapsed, called Antoine Karaz, my project manager, and then worked all day, from morning to evening, to limit the damage. Tough time.”

The philosopher Dalin asserted: “It was really a magic race. She changed me even though I don’t know how yet. She was very emotional, with a strength that I hadn’t felt before. This race will have an effect on me, on the way I think …

“I am usually a stable person in terms of emotions. But Vendée Globe is very strong. Obviously, I have had joys, doubts and sorrows, but the moments of empty passage were short-lived.”

Bad luck Boris Hermann

French Louis Burton (Wadi office 2He was the second to cross the finish line, 4 hours and 2 minutes after Dalin, to secure a spot on the official podium of the race. Mired in technical problems for several weeks – he said he had only eaten salads for two weeks and drank his last reserves of fresh water Wednesday morning – Burton came close to quitting “at least three times”.

“There is one thing that has always stuck with me and that is thinking about my children,” he said at a press conference. They never wanted to give up because they were afraid it would be a shame at school! I think it’s for them, it’s for Cervan [sa conjointe]For my team, for dad, for everyone else. This is what gave me all that energy. ”

German Boris Hermann (SeaExplorer), Who was in third place and still fighting for victory over a 6-hour bonus for his participation in saving Escoffier, saw his hopes crumbling 90 miles from the finish line when his sailboat collided with a fishing boat.

Hermann safely and intactly recounted his moving incident in an animated video. “It’s really my worst nightmare. I was in my bed and woke up to a big shock. When I got off, my starboard and sail were attached to the fishing boat.”

“The wind has dispersed us, but there is a lot of damage to the sailboat. I’m really disappointed and a disappointment for my team and everyone who supported us. The good news is that I’m still in the race and I should be able to make it to the end, even if I lose several places. But that doesn’t matter now.” … ”

Thomas Roillard took advantage of Hermann’s problems to finish fourth. Giancarlo Bidot (Prismian Group(And Damien Seguin)Apicil Group), The sixth and seventh in a row, were only separated by a few miles to the end.

The eighth race of Jean Le Cam (Yes we can), Expected Thursday at Les Sables-d’Olonne, could be like Bestaven climbing up the ranking due to a reward of 16 hours and 15 minutes. It was he who recovered the escove, at midnight on December 16, in the Indian Ocean.

Behind the top four, 21 contestants are still at sea, all in the Atlantic, and the arrivals will follow each other over the next few days.

Winners of the Vendée Globe

2020-2021: Yanik Bestaffin (MSc CoQ IV), At 80 days, 3 hours and 44 minutes
2016-2017: Armil le Clayke (The Eighth People’s Bank) In 74 days, 3 hours and 35 minutes
2012-2013: Francois Gabbart (Machiv) In 78 days, 2 hours and 16 minutes
2008-2009: Michel DeGoyo (Fonsia) In 84 days, 3 hours, 9 minutes
2004-2005: Vincent Rio (PRB 3) In 87 days 10 hours 47 minutes
2000-2001: Michel DeGoyo (PRB 3) In 93 days, 3 hours and 57 minutes
1996-1997: Christophe Ogwen (Geodes) In 105 days, 20 hours and 31 minutes
1992-1993: Alain Gaultier (Superior luggageAfter 110 days, 2 hours and 22 minutes
1989-1990: Tetuan Lamazoo (Squirrel Aquitaine II) In 109 days, 8 hours and 48 minutes