The Sportspedia
With still one day to go to the conclusion of the sailing race around the world (Vendée Globe) it was difficult to determine who would win, despite having been sailing for weeks.
Charlie Dalin (FRA) was still the leader on the last day and indeed he was also the first to arrive at Les Sables d’Olonne, where there were people waiting to give him an ovation. He took 80 days to arrive.
Louis Burton (FRA) was the second to arrive, just over 4 hours after Dalin. Burton was wearing the IMOCA 60 that won the race in record 74 days the previous time (Armel Le Cléac’h (FRA)). Burton was leader from January 24 to 25 having passed the equator
Yannick Bestaven (FRA) in his Maître Coq IV was the third to reach the French coast but thanks to a bonus of 10 hours and 15 minutes given for assisting Kevin Escoffier (FRA), he became the winner of this test, in front of Dalin and Burton.
German Boris Herrmann became the first sailor from his country to complete the Vendée Globe. Still one day to go he was in second place but had a collision with a fishing boat with just 90 miles to go that made him have to slowly finish the race. He was fourth but he was very happy when he reached the goal because it could have been worse.
Yannick, the oldest winner (48 years old), told the organization: “I feel like I’m living a dream, hallucinating. You go from total loneliness to this, to this party, to these lights, these people who are there despite the complicated context, I don’t realize what is happening. I am still in my race. It is a child’s dream. “
Damien Seguin (FRA), a two-time Paralympic Champion, came sixth and is the first competitor with a disability to finish the Vendée… And he did it in a great position!
It was a very exciting Vendée. The final results are not official yet. More than half of the sailors are still due to arrive.
