"An edition exceptionnelle?!" , "Engraved in the annales?!" , "Never-vu?!" ... Surely this edition of the Vendée Globe will remain forever engraved in the minds of all those who are passionate about the single-handed round the world race. If the round the world race has turned into a contact race, the eight finishes in 24 hours bear witness to that... However, we'll regret not having been able to see these finishes, as the weather was too bad to take any pictures..
Despite the sanitary conditions, the organisation had managed to obtain authorisation for a 300-person honour hedge (volunteers, volunteers...) to welcome the sailors on the channel. Full sound, fire from artifice?! The party was there, but the spectators behind their screens had trouble finding their way around, the live arrivals leaving something to be desired..
First, but not vainqueur?!
Wednesday, January 27, 20 h 35 min 47 s, Charlie Dalin (Apivia) completes his first circumnavigation of the world in 80 days, 6 hours 15 minutes and 47 seconds. Unfortunately, the weather conditions in the area are too bad, with the helicopters stuck on the ground and the boats in port... We won't see Charlie cross the line... The tide is also forcing him to use a semi-rigid boat to wield his pyro as he makes his way up the famous channel to celebrate this victory..
But the timekeeper is holding him... Timekeeper who made him take this southern route for the finish, preferring to fight with Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée 2) rather than with the "bonus" as he will explain later in the press conference. Because if he is the first to finish the race, he also knows that victory is far from certain.
Behind him, two skippers can still steal his thunder. Yannick Bestaven (Maître Coq) and Boris Herrmann (SeaExplorer Yacht-Club de Monaco) benefit from a time bonus for the rescue of Kevin Escoffier in the South Seas. 10h15 for the first one, 6h for the 2 e ... In short, if Yannick Bestaven reached Les Sables-d'Olonne before 6.51 am, he would win..
Charlie is therefore making the most of his "winning" moments and reveals that he has suffered a great deal of damage to the boat... Firstly his port foil - whose hold he had to repair, losing a day and his position as leader at the head of the fleet - but what will mark him the most is that he managed to lower a 160 m2 sail unhooked from the bowsprit, onto the deck of his boat after hours of fighting..
Because that's what the Vendée Globe is all about too... We don't reveal or reveal very little about what happens during the race... Happy and tired, he announces with fairplay, understanding his bonuses, what will happen, will happen, but prefers not to look at the cartoon, which would seal his fate..
Fate for Boris Herrmann
Whilst the skipper of Apivia has barely been here for 15 minutes, a bounce has just come about 90 miles from the finish line... Boris Herrmann was resting quietly in his boat when he hit a fishing boat, whose AIS wasn't switched on
The sailor has nothing, but the boat is in bad shape, the starboard foil heavily hit, forcing the German to reduce the pace to continue ... To pass the finish line costs a lot ..
Hilarious as a handsome as a 2nd
04 h 09 min and 24 seconds after Charlie Dalin, Louis Burton arrived at the 2 e place of the ranking on his Valley 2 Office "completely destroyed" as he confided at a press conference. The sailor's head burnt like a madman on his boat to secure this podium, suffering a great deal of damage, forcing him to stop off in Macquarie to climb to the top of the mast.
At 0045:12, if he was to be on the 2 e to cross the finish line in Les Sables-d'Olonne, after a round-the-world race that took 80 days, 10 hours, 25 minutes and 12 seconds.
"Next time, I win the Vendée Globe?!" he was having fun at the conference, after thanking the organization for the delicious entrecote steak and the bottle of wine that went with it.
End of suspense..
On Thursday, January 28, 2021, at 4:19 m and 46 seconds, the top two were scellé?! Yannick Bestaven crossed the finish line after 80 days, 13 hours, 59 minutes and 46 seconds. Arrived 7h 43min 59s behind Charlie Dalin, his time bonus allowed him to become the big winner of this édition?! The skipper of Apivia took 2nd place and Louis Burton 3rd e .
He who only hoped to finish the world tour will go to remporter?! Happy, shocked, he takes advantage of this victory surrounded by his family, his team which became his famille?! He can't believe it, but a thought for Charlie... "We're two winners in this Vendée Globe"
At a press conference, he confided that he was very shocked by the sinking of Kevin... He no longer believed in victory at the level of Brazil, losing his 400 mile lead... He too suffered a lot of damage to his boat, not having as many sails as he wanted... That's why he chose a northern option to finish his race.
With the trio together and the tide at its highest point, the skippers could at last enjoy a trip up the channel to the applause of the main gate, lulled by the loud sound system and lines of lights from artifice?!
An exhausted and moved Ruyant
At 5:42 and 01 seconds, it was Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut) who crossed at the 4 e places the finish line of the race after 80 days 15 hours 22 minutes 01 second, 11 hours 37 minutes 15 seconds, after the first (in compensated time), Yannick Bestaven.
The guy from the north will have suffered one last damage on his bowsprit, but will have brought his wounded boat back to port. Indeed, the northerner had suffered a big damage to his port foil, forced to cut it off and sail "amputated"... Throughout the race, he will have led a nice fight with Charlie Dalin, always remaining in his wake to threaten him... Charlie will come to welcome him on his arrival.
This arrival will nevertheless leave a bitter taste in the mouth of the public, with Yannick Bestaven receiving his winner's trophy at the same time, under the spotlight..
At a press conference, the skipper of LinkedOut will let his emotion run riot, moved to tears..
No time for souffler?!
Never seen you before at dit?! A few hours later, Boris Herrmman finally crossed the finish line on his battered boat at 11h 19min 45sec, after 80 days, 20 hours, 59 minutes and 45 seconds. Thanks to his 6 hour bonus, he nevertheless dethroned Thomas Ruyant from his 4 e place.
The first of the drift boats
At 12 h 18 min 20 sec, Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil) became the first of the dinghies to reach Les Sables-d'Olonne. After 80 days, 21 hours, 58 minutes and 20 seconds, he also became the first disabled skipper to complete a Vendée Globe, as a reminder the skipper was born without a left hand.
He was also putting on a show in the channel, disguised as a crochet captain to celebrate his arrival, his victory.
Giancarlo Pedote crossed the line in 7 e position at 13 hours 02 minutes and 20 seconds after 80 days, 22 hours, 42 minutes and 20 seconds, ahead of the first Italian to achieve such a great performance in a Vendée Globe.
Nothing is joué? yet!
But at this stage of the game, nothing is decided justement?! Because King John - expected in the evening - could well come and upset the rankings. Thinking of finishing in 8 e position, then to the 6 e it's his wife Anne who will say to him, "You can still finish four e ?!"
It is therefore a Jean Le Cam, with his eyes lost in the sea, who will cross the line at 20 hours, 19 minutes and 55 seconds after 80 days, 13 hours, 44 minutes and 55 seconds. A Le Cam dancing on the roof of his boat to the sound of a Johnny Hallyday melody and savouring a glass of wine - not the traditional bottle of champagne offered by the organisation at each skipper's arrival - once at the pontoon.
With his 16:15 time bonus, King John takes the 4 e podium place. He will confide at a press conference that he has set his arrival on the tide, which will finally give him the opportunity to climb up the rankings.
We will also learn that he experienced an "unbearable" Vende Globe... His boat delaminated and every day he survived a potential shipwreck. He will also take the opportunity to congratulate his "foals", Damien Seguin and Benjamin Dutreux, authors of an incredible race with straight daggerboard boats, slipping tackles to the big offshore racing teams and foilers, who have no reason to be on a round the world race according to him.
The ranking of the first arrivals
1 - Yannick Bestaven - 80 d 03 h 44 min 46 s
2 - Charlie Dalin - 80 d 06 h 15 min 47 s
3 - Louis Burton - 80 d 10 h 25 min 12 s
4 - Jean Le Cam - 80 d 13 h 44 min 55 S
5 - Boris Herrmann - 80 d 14 h 59 min 45 s
6 - Thomas Ruyant - 80 d 15 h 22 min 01 s
7 - Damien Seguin - 80 d 21 h 58 min 20 s
8 - Giancarlo Pedote - 80 d 22 h 42 min 20 s
9 - Benjamin Dutreux - 81 d 19 h 45 min 20 s
