“And suddenly appears in the face of the wind, the true hero of all time.” If Charlie Dalin won the Vendée Globe on Tuesday, Yoann Richomme put on a show for his second place. The pontoon and the public, who had gotten up early, vibrated to the music of Indochina. Musique chosen by the skipper of Paprec Arkéa to come and moor his Imoca in very good condition. “We put together a great team and we produced an almost perfect technical copy: the boat has nothing. I heard: he broke this or that, it made me laugh,” he told the audience from the podium.
“I almost hit a trawler two days after departure”
He slowed down a little the last night to cross the line at the right time and continue with the entry into the channel: “I wanted to have a big fun. I spent the last night slaloming among my fishermen friends.” His fishermen friends who almost stopped his Vendée Globe after two days.
Just after the finish line which he crossed at 7:12 a.m. after 65 days 18:10'02'' (find the live mapping of the Vendée Globe), Richomme admitted: “I didn't tell anyone but my Vendée Globe could have stopped off Cape Finisterre. I almost hit a trawler, it passed ten meters away! »
But this collision avoided, he entered completely into his race and he did what he had planned, or almost. His friends and loved ones made the trip to Les Sables d'Olonne this Wednesday: Yoann's face made of cardboard, like at the Olympic Games, “We love you Yoann” signs, held at arm's length, his fans gave their voice and he gave them back well.
“I hope you don’t come back to bother us in four years.”
Her parents were all smiles at the foot of the boat: “It’s over,” said her relieved mother Sylvie. We are happy for him. We are very happy with what he did. We come back to real life. There was a lot of anxiety. We didn't sleep much. But there were little joys along the way because with Yoann, there are always very pleasant moments.” He too returned to real life with his wife Margaux and his daughters, who came on board to sail up the famous channel to cheers. Charlie Dalin, the big winner, also came on board to congratulate him: “I hope you won’t come back to bother us in four years!” », jokes Richomme, proud of the “copy he made on this world tour”.
On the pontoon, he said into the microphones: “It was a huge pleasure to share this tour with Charlie, with whom I have already shared so much. We've been fighting on different circuits for fifteen years and we've known each other since the early 2000s. It's an exceptional story in itself.” But as he admitted, he “came across someone stronger than me. Clearly, Charlie was unbeatable, stratospheric. I'm delighted for him that he can have a little revenge for the past (he lost the Solitaire du Figaro by five minutes). He was an almost unbeatable competitor.” Four years ago, Dalin finished second to win this time: “If it’s written like that, I’ll take…” See you in 2028.
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