EXTRAORDINARY!

François Gabart aboard MACIF wins the Vendée Globe in 78 days 2 hours, a matter of hours ahead of Armel le Cléac’h on Banque Populaire. It’s the denouement of a duel waged throughout the race and run at a hellish pace for this 7th edition of the Vendée Globe, which was coloured by a 15.3 knots average speed.

Record-breaking at every level!
Better than all his rivals, it’s the winner of course.
Better than Phileas Fogg, under 80 days.
Better than Michel Desjoyeaux, under 84 days.
At 29 years of age, François is also the youngest winner of the Vendée Globe.
His victory also sees him crowned World IMOCA Champion 2012 and he’s the first skipper to hold a world title and a Vendée Globe victory concurrently!
Yes, it can safely be said, it’s extraordinary!

Jean Le Cam would say: “it’s a fine Second who makes a fine Winner”! And he’s right. For the second time, Armel finished this Vendée Globe in second place. Armel gave his all right the way to the end and François didn’t yield. What a fine lesson in the commitment and tenacity of oneself!

Today François and Armel are the pride of IMOCA and embody all the values of our sport. It’s a sporting performance in which our skippers have given body and soul. It’s a technological performance aboard fabulous boats, which have been very well designed and very well prepared. It’s the result of two teams who have been totally committed to their projects and supported by sponsors who are equally committed, where skill runs alongside talent.

BRAVO to them both and THANK YOU!