Already the end of the adventure for Maxime Sorel. Less than a week after leaving Les Sables-d'Olonne, while the rest of the fleet is busy enjoying the doldrums, the skipper of V and B – Monbana – Mayenne decided, this Friday morning, to dismount and abandon, the first of this tenth edition of the Vendée Globe.
Maxime Sorel has experienced numerous problems since the start of the race, including an ankle problem contracted after only forty-eight hours on his Imoca. “My ankle has been seriously damaged for four days,” explains the sailor in a press release sent by his team. It only swelled over time and with the maneuvers I performed. I am in so much pain that I have difficulty moving on board my boat. Even when resting, I have severe pain, I cannot continue to navigate in complete safety in this state. »
“Nothing was normal”
A very painful ankle which prevents him from carrying out the repairs necessary for the proper functioning of his boat, which has experienced major technical problems with the hook and mainsail rail. “This mainsail problem is irreparable alone and what's more with so much difficulty putting one's foot on the deck,” says his team. Maxime Sorel also stopped in Madeira to try to repair the damage. In vain.
“This night, under Madeira, I climbed into my mast, I managed, not without difficulty, to lower my mainsail,” explains the skipper. I noticed that the hook was broken. We had plenty of reasons to worry. At the same time, the mainsail rail is seriously damaged. With my pain or not, it is impossible to change portions of this mainsail rail at three meters high. It's construction work. »
Maxime Sorel therefore had to resolve to abandon his second solo sailing trip around the world. “It’s four years of preparation with my team to get to this point,” laments the Breton. However, everything was magical from start to finish but I have the impression that nothing has been normal since I left on Sunday. » His team is on their way to recover the boat and bring it to safety.
