Les Sables-d’Olonne Vendée Globe. On CHRISTMAS 2024, Sablais Sébastien Simon becomes Cap-Hornier
He dreamed of it, and even more so than four years ago he had to give up against South Africa because of damage caused by an UFO.
Sébastien Simon is not yet at the end of his troubles, it is the entire journey up the Atlantic that awaits him with an unfortunate handicap, the loss of the right foil.
But, he will at least have achieved one of his dreams as a skipper, crossing Cape Horn!
The dream of all sailors and skippers!
Imagine! There is even an international association of Cap-Horniers! This shows how much the passage of this Cape has entered into legend.
Let's not wait any longer to discover through the magic of video, on the other side of the world, the emotion that gripped Sébastien Simon during this visit.
And let us salute, at the same time, the performance of Sébastien who, despite unbalanced navigation based on a single foil, managed to stay in 3rd place in the race.
We know, he has regrets like all of us, not being able to achieve a devilish finish while fighting bow to bow with the two other leaders. Although… you never know! A choice of route, a slowdown in competition and… everything is still playable…
But, despite everything, many specialists will have been able to detect through his navigation, his choices, his technical management, an outstanding navigator full of will who will be able to show what he is capable of in the next races.
video below
Dubreuil Group press release below
Philippe Brossard-Lotz
The Sablais Reporter
“In 44 days 21 hours 19 minutes and 38 seconds, Sébastien Simon is the third skipper of this 2024 Vendée Globe to cross Cape Horn. The skipper of Groupe Dubreuil says goodbye to a Pacific Ocean which has not been easy until the end but the conditions should calm down for the start of the journey up the Atlantic! »
Editorial press release Groupe Dubreuil
VENDEE GLOBE
Sébastien Simon, third at the Horn for Christmas
Sébastien Simon crossed Cape Horn in third position in the Vendée Globe this Wednesday, December 25 at 10h 21m 38s (Paris time), after 44d 21h 19m 38s of racing. That is 1d 9h 54m 18s after leader Yoann Richomme and still ahead (by 2d 3h 15min 8s) of the previous record of Armel Le Cléac'h in 2016. The best Christmas present for the skipper of the IMOCA Group Dubreuil who managed to maintain a good lead over his pursuers, now more than 1000 miles (1852 kilometers) behind him. The 34-year-old from Vendée, moved to spend Christmas alone on board his boat, is delighted to leave the grueling South Seas. He is ready and more motivated than ever for a trip up the Atlantic which promises to be strategic and technical, which is not to displease him.
Despite losing the starboard foil of his IMOCA Groupe Dubreuil on December 7 in the Indian Ocean, Sébastien Simon held on during the long crossing of the Pacific Ocean, which however only lasted 12 days! A long starboard tack, allowing her to exploit her port foil, even allowed her to take the lead in the race on December 18. After fighting as best he could with his weapons, the young skipper was forced to let his two sidekicks Yoann Richomme and Charlie Dalin escape in the lead. “I can tell you that it’s no fun to fight with one less foil, he said. The boat behaves really badly and it's a bit painful. For the moment, we maintain the gap with the pursuers. But it is not without energy. If anyone is motivated, it’s me.”. In recent days, “Conditions were tough when a front passed, with more than 50-53 knots of wind. I preferred to procrastinate a little,” said Sébastien, confronted with raging seas as he approached the mythical rock.
“Cape Horn in 3rd position is huge, I never would have imagined that! »
What better gift for Sébastien Simon, his loved ones and his team on this Christmas Day than to complete this stage, undoubtedly the most significant of the solo round the world trip? “Passing Cape Horn in 3rd position is something huge, I never would have imagined that. I intend to take advantage of this moment, it's not given to everyone to pass Cape Horn at Christmas. It’s pretty cool,” rejoiced the young skipper who usually does not attach much importance to this type of symbol. “This year, with the Dubreuil group, after everything I have experienced, it is all the more a success and a joy. » It's done, in 37 to 47 knots of wind and seas that are still rough, “just to say goodbye, thank you Pacific, ciao South, long live the Atlantic!” »
Christmas alone
With a tight throat and moist eyes, Sébastien spoke in a video sent from overseas last night: “Since I was little, I have seen sailors wearing Santa hats in their boats. This time I am part of it. I watched them on video, I admired them, I wondered what they were doing there. Well, here I am! I'm there with Cape Horn approaching. » Before announcing his party menu: “my grandmother gave me a pot of foie gras that I started with breakfast with Kinders… I wish you all a happy New Year's Eve, enjoy your loved ones, your family, enjoy these moments which are valuable. A Merry Christmas to everyone who has chosen to be alone too, like me. Thanks to the Dubreuil family, to all the subsidiaries, to my dad, Alexandra, Chiffon, the whole team. It’s also thanks to you that we are here today, it’s incredible. Thank you all, I'm having a fabulous time. I always dreamed of this. Not necessarily being alone at Christmas but (long silence), it’s pretty nice,” he concluded, moved.
Heading for Les Sables d’Olonne
Now that two thirds of the course are behind him, the Sablais can finally put the indicator on the left, heading for home. “Given the differences, I think I will rather manage the situation. I would like to manage to take some time for the boat. According to my routings, there are two days up close on port tack in the South Atlantic, to try to climb little by little to catch the trade winds. It's going to be a different scenario from that of the South Seas, much more rhythmic as a type of race, with a sequence of weather systems. It’s going to be very strategic and technical and I really like that! »
After 44 days of solo racing, Sébastien Simon finds that “the time is not that long. On the contrary, I think I will try to savor this journey up the Atlantic. Our Vendée Globe is still relatively fast. We are ahead of Armel's record. » Even if he knows that there will still be difficult moments to go through, the skipper remains focused on his race which he intends to continue on the same momentum, with a lot of desire and pleasure. “I’m kind of looking forward to it.” We're not completely there yet, there's still a lot that can happen and I'm ready for those moments. »
Previous article from Tuesday December 17, 2024
Les Sables-d’Olonne Vendée Globe. CLASSIFICATION: Sablais Sébastien Simon becomes leader of the race again on Tuesday December 17, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
Certainly the number 17 brings luck to Sébastien Simon!
Leader on November 17 at 3:00 p.m., he is back as leader on 17 December 2024 at 7:00 p.m.!
One month later, Sébastien Simon once again becomes leader of the Vendée Globe Race!
And this while he is sailing with only one foil, his right foil having probably broken during an impact.
A great achievement, while most of the race around Antarctica is almost completed, the leading skippers heading towards Point Nemo with Cape Horn on the horizon.
While his close adversaries chose a route leading them towards the near limit of the Exclusion Zone, Sébastien Simon continued on a more classic route from the south facing Tasmania.
The advantage for the moment is Sébastien Simon with a speed of 21 knots while Charlie Dalin and Yoann Richomme are limited to 12 knots.
As a result, in 24 hours Sébastien Simon covered 527 miles compared to 396 for Charlie Dalin and 411 for Yoann Richomme.
That makes all the difference!
The next route choices will be particularly decisive, especially since the 3 leaders are “touch-and-touch” 25 miles from each other!
We questioned leading skippers about the problem of Sébastien Simon's broken right foil.
According to them, the handicap will be less for Sébastien in the climb towards Cape Horn then into the Atlantic.
A great prospect for the Sablais skipper who has shown exceptional qualities from the start.
Philippe Brossard-Lotz
The Sablais Reporter
Article from November 17, 2024
Les Sables-d'Olonne Vendée Globe. CLASSIFICATION: Sablais Sébastien Simon becomes leader of the race on Sunday, November 17 at 3:00 p.m.
RANKING on Sun November 17, 2024 at 3:00 p.m.
Sébastien Simon benefited from wind during the night, which allowed him to move from 2nd place to 1st, taking it from Jean Le Cam.
But nothing is decided because the positions are very tight.
It is therefore enough for a group to benefit from a favorable wind, even occasionally, for the ranking to be immediately disrupted.
However, this position shows that Sébastien Simon controls his race and makes good choices on Groupe Dubreuil.
The choice in the West was not so bad, even if Jean Le Cam, who moved to the East to everyone's surprise, stuck just behind Sébastien Simon.
The next few hours and days are going to be exciting for the race.
Philippe Brossard-Lotz
The Sablais Reporter
© Photo: Martin Viezzer – Dubreuil Group
« I try to take advantage of each cloud even if it's not easy with the models.
I'm kind of in the middle of the fleet.
Some are trying to get around the anticyclone from the West but it may be a red one. I arrived where the wind took me.
We finally experience a new beginning. The anticyclone is descending with us.
The more we advance, the more it goes down and we are stuck in this bubble.
I think it should pass between my position and the West. I have a hard time thinking that it will happen further east. It's a global regatta, it's been going on for seven days and we're all equal.
It's far from over and that's good.
If we all go down the Atlantic together, it can only increase the fun! »
Sébastien Simon (Dubreuil Group)
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