Emmanuel LANGELLIER, Media365: published on Tuesday December 17, 2024 at 7:38 p.m.
Despite losing a foil a few days ago, Sébastien Simon is still 3rd in the Vendée Globe and hopes to finish on the podium.
Things are moving, things are moving in the Vendée Globe. Unchanged for several days, the head of the hierarchy has just changed! Charlie Dalin has ceded command of the race to Yoann Richomme who is going at a very brisk pace. Sébastien Simon still occupies the 3rd step of the podium after being runner-up. The skipper of Groupe Dubreuil lost ground after losing his starboard foil. A shocking moment that he filmed between Tasmania and New Zealand in the Pacific Ocean.
Simon: “It’s not over. Things can happen”
“The damage is inexplicable, it is not the result of human error. I felt a feeling of injustice, but that’s racing, that’s how it is. 4 years ago, I gave up because the breakage of the foil, after an impact with a floating object, damaged my boat. There at least I can continue,” Sébastien Simon explained to Sud-Ouest. The 34-year-old skipper is not at all discouraged and remains combative behind the first two in the Vendée Globe. “The challenge is to stay in the right car, in the same weather system as Charlie and Yoann. In this case, I could widen the gap on my pursuers. There may be opportunities to regain second place. »
“It’s not over. Things can happen,” says Simon, who hopes to finish on the podium this time, having given up at the beginning of December 2020 during the final edition. “It would be a wonderful reward. I’m going to fight for that, for my partners, my family, I’m not just running for myself, he says. It won’t be easy. In 2016, Alex Thomson kept his 2nd place by breaking his foil at the Indian’s entry, but the fleet is more homogeneous, better prepared, the level has risen. Even a top 5, I will be very happy, it will give me lots of hope for the future. I came to finish the Vendée Globe, it had lots of surprises in store for me. My first half of the race, in the leading trio, sometimes leader, I didn’t expect that, it’s fabulous, even if I knew I would be able to do it from the pre-season deck chairs. »
