Friday, January 24: a day of resilience
Several skippers have arrived in Les Sables d'Olonne, after more than 74 days at sea in extreme conditions. Jérémie Beyou, skipper of Charal, finished 4th in the Vendée Globe, crossing the finish line at 01:58, completing his circumnavigation in 74 days, 12 hours, 56 minutes and 54 seconds. Despite the difficulties encountered, notably technical damage, he finished in a respectable 4th place, achieving his second-best performance in this legendary race. At 11:40 am, Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) concluded his adventure in 5th place after 74 days, 22 hours and 38 minutes of sailing. A remarkable performance for the skipper, who overcame a number of setbacks, including a major breakage of his forestay swivel, necessitating a risky repair at sea.
Finally, at 8:51 pm, Nicolas Lunven (Holcim - PRB) successfully completed his first Vendée Globe, finishing 6th after 75 days, 07 hours and 49 minutes. His course was punctuated by daring strategic choices and technical mishaps, notably the loss of his masthead, which forced him to improvise a makeshift solution to continue the race.
As the finish line approaches for the competitors still at sea, tension remains at its highest. The final hours are crucial, with demanding weather conditions testing the mettle of men and machines one last time.
Saturday, January 25: a string of arrivals in Les Sables d'Olonne
Today, the Vendée Globe fleet is still arriving in Les Sables d'Olonne after several weeks of intense racing.
Thomas Ruyant, skipper of Vulnerable, crossed the finish line at 05:49, concluding his circumnavigation in 75 days, 16 hours and 47 minutes. Despite an ingress of water at the start of the race and some formidable storms, the Dunkirk-born skipper demonstrated his resilience and strategy to stay with the leading pack. This Vendée Globe marks a milestone for him, highlighting his inspiring journey and his project focused on human and environmental vulnerability.
A few hours later, at 14h38, Justine Mettraux achieved an exceptional performance, becoming the first woman and the first international to cross the finish line of this edition. Aboard TeamWork - Team Snef, the Swiss woman completed her Vendée Globe in 76 days, 1 hour and 36 minutes, beating the previous women's record of 11 days, held by Clarisse Crémer since the Vendée Globe 2020-2021. Her self-sacrifice in the face of extreme conditions, including mainsail damage in the final hours, has earned her the admiration of her peers.
At 3:03 pm, it was Britain's Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable) who crossed the line after 76 days, 2 hours and 1 minute at sea. For his first Vendée Globe, he impressed with his fighting spirit, holding off the favorites despite a mainsail explosion less than 1,000 miles from the finish. With ingenuity and determination, he found solutions to keep going and finished brilliantly in the Top 10.
The skippers still in the race have to contend with unstable weather conditions to reach the famous finish line.
Sunday January 26: waiting and resilience at the heart of the race
On this last day of the weekend, the Vendée Globe skippers continue their battle against the elements and the weather, between expectation, strategy and resilience.
Samantha Davies (Initiatives-C?ur, 13th) has been forced to slow down south of the Azores, due to unfavorable weather conditions. Faced with a threatening winter low, she has taken the difficult decision to wait for a more favorable weather window to reach Les Sables d'Olonne safely. Boris Herrmann (Malizia - Seaexplorer, 12th) must also be patient in the face of strong winds and rough seas. The German skipper remains strategically cautious, making slow progress northwards as he waits for a lull in the weather to enable him to resume his route to the finish. However, he is determined not to lose too much ground to his pursuers.
After 77 days, 3 hours and 39 minutes at sea, Benjamin Dutreux (Guyot Environnement - Water Family) crossed the finish line this Sunday at 4:41 pm, in difficult weather conditions. The Vendée skipper finished a superb 10th, confirming his status as an ocean racing revelation. His commitment and perseverance throughout the race have established him as one of the IMOCA class's key skippers.
Further south, Louis Duc (Fives Group - Lantana Environnement, 25th) has been struggling to make headway in light winds for several days. Between frustration and patience, he continues to sail with the hope of a resumption of the trade winds to cross the Doldrums and accelerate his ascent northwards.
At the rear of the fleet, Denis Van Weynbergh (D'Ieteren Group, 34th) continues to make his way around the Falklands, where he is experiencing increasing physical wear and tear. Between managing his fatigue and preserving his boat, the Belgian skipper remains focused on his goal of reaching Les Sables in complete safety.
Monday, January 27: weather-constrained arrivals
Clarisse Crémer (L'Occitane en Provence) crossed the Vendée Globe finish line at 04:36, completing her second circumnavigation in 77 days, 15 hours and 34 minutes. However, her feat was marred by rough weather conditions, forcing her to wait until she reached the channel in Les Sables d'Olonne, a moment so eagerly awaited by the skippers.
The yachtswoman had to face many difficulties during her Vendée Globe. Deprived of her large gennaker as early as Cape Finisterre, and confronted with several technical breakdowns, she has shown resilience and adaptation. Her rounding of Cape Horn on January 1 was a key moment, marking a welcome lull in a race fraught with pitfalls.
Clarisse Crémer and Benjamin Dutreux (Guyot Environnement - Water Family, 10th) were forced to take shelter in La Rochelle after crossing the finish line, due to a strong low-pressure system in western France. It's a first in the history of the Vendée Globe, but the two skippers hope to see the Vendée public again soon, as they make their way back up the channel.
Boris Herrmann (Malizia-Seaexplorer, 12th) and Samantha Davies (Initiatives-C?ur, 13th) continue to make headway towards the finish line, managing the demanding weather conditions. Faced with 6 to 7-meter waves and sustained winds, they have to sail carefully, optimizing their trajectory to avoid the worst of the storm.
Behind them, a group of eight skippers are struggling to escape a high-pressure system that is slowing their progress. Meanwhile, five sailors have recently crossed the equator, preparing their ascent of the North Atlantic.
