For a first attempt, it was almost a masterstroke. A little less than twenty-four hours after Charlie Dalin, Yoann Richomme crossed the finish line of the Vendée Globe off the coast of Les Sables-d'Olonne (Vendée) on Wednesday January 15 at 7:12 a.m. Second in the solo round-the-world race without stopover and without assistance, the skipper of Paprec-Arkéa completed his circumnavigation in 65 days, 18 hours, 10 minutes and 2 seconds. This is the second best performance since the creation of the event.
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“What an emotion to have finished a world tour! explained Richomme at the microphone of the organizers. I feel like I left two days ago. I came across someone stronger than me. Charlie was unbeatable, I'm delighted for him. I also feel a lot of pride. Now I want to share this with everyone and celebrate it with dignity. »
“It wasn't easy every day, life was terrible on board, also told the skipper after crossing the line. There was sometimes a very sustained pace. But, from the end of the Indian Ocean, we had a dream world tour. I never told anyone, but I almost hit a trawler on the second day [de la course]he passed ten meters to the left. It hung by a thread. »
Apart from a bad patch at the start of December 2024, during which he was more than 500 miles (906 kilometers) behind Charlie Dalin, the skipper of the Imoca Paprec-Arkéa41, made life difficult for the winner of the 10e edition until the last days of racing.
For his first participation in the Vendée Globe, the sailor made his mark by being, in particular, the first member of the fleet to cross Cape Horn (Chile), on December 24, 2024.
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He only ceded the lead of the race to his friend and best enemy Charlie Dalin on December 30. Knowing he was beaten for victory and assured of second place, Richomme had decided in recent hours to take his time to take care of his finish. Welcomed by several boats, Yoann Richomme must sail up the Sables-d'Olonnes channel this Wednesday morning. The winner, Charlie Dalin, plans to host him.
