The Vendéen Sébastien Simon (Dubreuil Group) took 3rd place in the Vendée Globe on Friday January 17 in Les Sables-d'Olonne, the famous solo, non-stop and unassisted round-the-world race won on Tuesday by the Norman Charlie Dalin.
Simon, 34, crossed the finish line at 1:27 a.m. after 67 days 12 hours 25 minutes of racing, approximately three days after Dalin (Macif), and two after Varois Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkea), completing thus the podium.
The skipper of Groupe Dubreuil, orphaned from his starboard foil since the Indian Ocean, courageously hung on to the leading duo until Point Nemo, before falling behind a little before Cape Horn.
First Sablais to finish on the podium of the race
The first Sablais in history to finish on the podium in the Vendée Globe, he will however have to wait tonight on his sailboat to sail up the channel, scheduled for 8 a.m. due to the tide. Despite everything, he was able to be joined after crossing the line by his technical team and his companion, before greeting the procession of boats that came to welcome him in the bay by raising their arms.
Its sponsor announced on Wednesday that it wanted to continue with the sailor until the next Vendée Globe to try to win, either by launching the construction of a new boat or by purchasing another sailboat.
-Simon becomes the third sailor to complete a round-the-world trip in less than 70 days in the Vendée Globe, after Richomme and Dalin, who smashed the previous reference time for the event (Le Cléac'h, 74 days, 2016 edition/ 2017) arriving Tuesday in 64 days.
On his route, the Vendéen established the greatest distance ever covered in 24 hours aboard an Imoca: 615 nautical miles, or 1,139.6 km.
Among the 31 sailors still to cross the finish line, the trio Jérémie Beyou (Charal)/Sam Goodchild (Vulnerable)/Paul Meilhat (Biotherm), in the fight for 4th, 5th and 6th places and which is held within a few hours, is expected at the end of next week.
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