74 days 03 hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds (French time) is the time it took Armel le Cléac'h to complete his single-handed, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the world. After finishing second in the last two editions (2012 and 2008), the skipper of Banque Populaire VII has just become a legend!
He won this 8th edition of the Vendée Globe with a finish in Les Sables-d'Olonne on Thursday 19th January 2017 at 16 hours 37 minutes and 46 seconds! He has thus set a new reference time, as he took 3 days 22 hours and 41 minutes less than François Gabart in 2013.
At the head of the fleet since December 3rd in the Kerguelen Islands - his son Edgard's birthday - he will keep the lead for 47 days, containing the assaults of Alex Thomson. In spite of his foils problems, the British competitor will have a tough time in Brittany!
A few seconds after crossing the line, it was Armel le Cléac'h, who was realising the dream of a lifetime, who answered a few questions with great emotion, letting himself be overwhelmed by his tears...
How does it feel to cross the finish line?
"It's a huge, unbelievable emotion! These last few days have been intense! I've done something huge! I haven't let go of anything, not one metre. Every meter I gained was hard! I wanted this victory so badly, so I did it!"
"After Cape Horn, all the elements were against me, but I fought! I got a lot of support on shore! I didn't let go! Finally victory, I only glimpsed it last night. When I passed Ushant, I knew it was good. Now I had to go right to the finish. Plus I was at home, in my garden, it was so nice!"
"I haven't had an easy climb back up the Atlantic. I was 800 miles ahead at Cape Horn, Alex came back up to 40 miles behind me. Yet I didn't make many mistakes, but the weather wasn't with me. It was tough, but I didn't give up anything! I'm so happy!"
What do you take away from this Vendée Globe beyond victory?
"It was intense from start to finish! I didn't see the time go by, I feel like I left yesterday! There was no break, no moment of respite. Only after Cape Horn I could breathe for a few hours, but it was very fast!"
You didn't communicate much about it, but did you have any material concerns?
"I've had some minor technical problems. The only handicap was my genoa halyard hook in the Pacific breaking and it was a sail that worked pretty well upwind. I compensated with my code 0, except I learnt that all my hooks were the same so I was afraid it would break too! I had this sword of Damocles hanging over my head the whole way home."
Beyond winning, did you enjoy yourself?
"Yes, I took pleasure in the fight, in the weather, in the strategy. "In the Pacific, in particular, I'm in tune with the elements of weather and strategy. At Cape Horn too, it was a great moment. And finally the last few miles, it was very strong! I was also lucky enough to have quite a few French Navy planes flying over me. I also received a lot of messages from supporters on the last day. It was great!"
A word about the second one, did Alex Thomson give you a hard time?
"Alex Thomson had a great race for sure! I knew he had a lot of assets, he's a dreaded and formidable competitor. I thought I'd made the hole at Cape Horn enough, but it wasn't enough so we had to hang on! He's got a good boat, good reaching speed and a new record!"
After 74 days of sea and solitude, what do you feel like?
"The thing you want most when you're going around the world is this!" explains Armel le Cléac'h when he saw Louise and Edgard, his two children, jumping into his arms!
