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Yannick Bestaven, winner of an anthology Vendée Globe

Dazzled by the lights of the city and those of dozens of boats stuck together like a swarm of wasps, the nocturnal approach to Sables-d’Olonne, is the ultimate adrenaline rush of the tourdumondiste before letting go, then the dry land that rocks under the boots. Wednesday evening, through the loopholes of his closed suppository-shaped cockpit which allowed him to sail almost eighty days in the dry, we see Charlie Dalin staring at his on-board computer, like an airline pilot in phase landing. Then, the line crossed a little after 8:30 p.m., he finally exits through the butterfly door of his courier, greets modestly, welcomes his technical team. He slips onto the foredeck and lights a hazard light.

It is by discovering his port foil supported by a real spider’s web that we understand the extent of the damage he experienced in the Indian Ocean. The sailor agrees to have considered giving up in Australia or New Zealand, but has turned into a silversmith of the composite, making a carbon wedge worthy of a Meilleur Ouvrier de France award. 36-year-old Dalin’s clear course is reminiscent of François Gabart’s. Same panache, same elegance.

“There is no debate”

When asked about his feelings on the compensations given to Boris Herrmann and Yannick Bestaven (six and ten fifteen respectively), he does not procrastinate, admits that if the race management had ordered him to divert to Kevin Escoffier on shipwrecked, he would not have hesitated. He therefore finds it perfectly logical that these sailors are credited with this bonus. At this time, the final ranking is still not fixed and Yannick Bestaven (Master CoQ IV) and Boris Herrmann (SeaExplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco) are virtually the first two of this Vendée Globe. “There is no debate”, declares Dalin, who, whatever the final result, achieved his goal of having the honors of the Vendée Globe line from his first participation.

At 9:30 pm, cold snap in the budding euphoria. German Boris Herrmann announces that he crashed into a Spanish fishing boat less than 100 miles (180 kilometers) from the finish. His boat is badly damaged. The second place, even the victory, stretched out its arms to him. Hope falls like a breath. Cruel.

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The ascent of the channel of Charlie Dalin still in sea dress, escorted by a myriad of boats without real respect of the camera, sticks the goosebumps, not only because of a wet and biting cold. In a mixed zone which resembles, with its barriers, a cattle fair, Dalin, new beard, looks like a young executive returning from vacation. He is affable and says he is profoundly changed after 80 days at sea. He meets Armel Le Cléac’h, the last winner. The modest exchange is obviously cordial and complicit. “I was there for your arrival four years ago. I often dreamed of imitating you», Charlie gives him wet eyes. “Well it’s done”, Armel answers him. Nice and discreet handover. “What did you order for your meal?
– A pizza, a Greek salad and fresh fruit.
– Not even a beer?
– Damn I forgot!
– Don’t worry, it’s normally expected. “

The timing is tight. Charlie Dalin is entitled to thirty minutes of privacy with Perrine, his companion, and Oscar, his young son. Then disembark for the press conference. One who describes himself as Cartesian and fascinates with his rational side breaks the armor. At the microphone, he is like a fish in water, lucid, funny, surprisingly fresh. Her parents and sister in the front row drink whey.

Has he had fun since the arrival? Amused response: “I did my first media tour, ate a lukewarm pizza and did the doping control. It’s not crazy at the moment. ” He adds : “This return to earth? Right now, I’m not living my real life, but I can see that everyone is wearing masks and this issue is not resolved. However, we took our time. ” He unfolds his numerous damages as in a time-lapse film, recognizes that on his terribly violent boat, he regularly found himself catapulted into the nets called “catch-up Charlie” when his sailboat crashed in the steep waves of the Indian Ocean.

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We can not resist asking him if he followed the mapping and now the position of his only opponent, Yannick Bestaven. “No, I don’t prefer to watch.” We will soon understand why. Around midnight 45, Louis Burton (Valley Office 2) cuts the line in turn. The most jovial sailor on the plateau has been as imperial as he is stainless. Despite his rain of damage and penalties, he finished with a bang, but admits that his boat almost burned down twice, following fires. “Crossing the line in second place, a few hours behind Charlie Dalin, it’s lunar! The boat is nickel on arrival. No just kidding ! In truth he is ruined! I shot everything I could, all the time. My pilots let me go in the Indian. I was very southern, in really complicated conditions, around the time Kevin Escoffier had his accident. These are really conditions where such an unmanned boat becomes a dangerous, volatile object. The failure of the two pilots led to collateral breakage on the sails, on the mast rail. ” Suede jacket and white shirt, Burton’s entry into the press conference while dancing is a highlight. Eyes like features, you’d think a DJ had spent three nights on the decks.

“Rainy wedding, happy wedding”

Thursday, 4:19 am: Yannick Bestaven tumbles into a well-formed sea. His bonus of ten hours and fifteen minutes allows him to do so. He won this ninth Vendée Globe after eighty days, thirteen hours and fifty-nine minutes of racing. The pyrotechnic show is worth its weight in peanuts and the Rochelais, mop in battle, crackles fires with hands as red as his oilskin. It is nothing to say that he is euphoric on the deck of his boat. In the last few days, he has been familiar with two depressions in the North, attacking like a starving man “To remake” and now he “Lives a daydream”. At the pontoon, it’s fiesta! The reunion between Bestaven and Dalin, then with Escoffier, it’s a bit “rainy wedding, happy wedding”. It is 6.45 am The new hero of the Vendée Globe waves his trophy. Thomas Loud (LinkedOut) landed in turn, an hour before. His sailboat bears the scars of this crazy race, and will need a visit to the bodybuilder.

Didier Ravon Special Envoy in Les Sables-d’Olonne

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