I'm Manuel Cousin, skipper of the IMOCA Groupe Setin. One of the good moments, one of the pure joys I've been able to experience, is the finish of the Route du Rhum 2018. It was just incredible because this day was something I dreamed about for years in the Route du Rhum, before embarking on the Vendée Globe in 2020.
For this arrival, everything was there. After that famous tour of Guadeloupe which was just a contrario, and that's why the finish was even more magical! So the tour of the
Guadeloupe leeward, with the Basse-Terre buoy to pass leeward which was a horror. All night long I struggled without wind to pass this Basse-Terre buoy. And then once round the south of the island, left the Saintes on my right, on my starboard, I go up the east coast I arrive around 11 o'clock in the morning it's a fabulous weather, the sun is there. I know that my whole team is there. My wife is with my team. I arrive around 11:30. I cross the line, alone on my boat, but the team that's there shouting with arms in the air, I still have emotion in my voice as I speak. I think this is the strongest moment I've experienced so far on a boat. It's really a moment of pure pride, of thanks for the team because we're alone on the boat, but there's the whole team working hard behind us. At that moment everything was there: the sun, just the right amount of wind to make the boat
slips out on its own here's the whole team that was there, the race director, the organization. You feel like you're living with incredible strength. It was a pure moment of happiness.
