Sébastien Simon, 3rd in the 2024 Vendée Globe

French skipper Sébastien Simon crossed the Vendée Globe finish line in third place* at 00h27 (UTC) on Friday January 17, after 67 days, 12 hours and 25 minutes of racing, finishing 2 days and 17 hours behind the overall winner. It's the first time a sailor from Les Sables d'Olonne, where the legendary solo round the world race starts and finishes has finished on the podium.
The Groupe Dubreuil skipper’s race was marked by multiple challenges which contrasted sharply with moments of great success. He smashed the record for the greatest distance covered solo in 24 hours, setting a new mark at 615.33 miles. Breaking his starboard foil could have compromised his chances, yet he showed extraordinary determination to remain on the podium. Simon also distinguished himself with a bold tactical choice in the Indian Ocean depression, as did race winner Charlie Dalin.
He will now wait until 0700UTC for his passage up the famed Les Sables d’Olonne channel, when the public will celebrate this remarkable Vendéen sailor who, through dogged determination and perseverance, has added a compelling chapter to the story of a legendary race.
© Jean-Louis Carli / Alea
FIRST WORDS
"It was an amazing welcome. I could never have imagined anything like it. I received an extraordinary reception this morning in freezing weather. I’ve never been this cold throughout the entire Vendée Globe. It’s incredible. I will keep unforgettable memories of this moment, and I’m already looking forward to being back in four years to experience these emotions again. I don’t know if you can feel this anywhere else.
It went by so fast. I feel like I left yesterday. Humans have the ability to forget all the tough moments, and there were some, particularly when that foil broke, which almost made me lose hope at one point. But giving up isn’t really my style, as some people know. I fought until the very end.
It’s above all an incredible project that started only a year and a half ago with the Groupe Dubreuil, which invested in us like never before. A team we built here without having any infrastructure. Today, we’ve gone far beyond our initial objectives, which were simply to finish the race. We were even in the lead for about ten days. It was fabulous, an extraordinary experience, and it makes me want only one thing: to come back in four years. Paul-Henri told me he wanted to follow me, and that’s a great sign of trust. I can only thank him and his entire family.
When I saw Charlie arrive, I had an emotional moment because I’m a competitor above all else. I do this for the sport, for the passion, and when I saw Charlie’s arrival, I was happy for him. He deserves it. I’ve known him since I started competing in the Figaro, and I have a lot of respect for him. I managed to beat him in the Figaro in 2018, but in IMOCA, there’s no contest. It’s no coincidence that he’s in the lead and wins. I hope he comes back in four years and that we can compete on equal terms.
The journey has been long, full of ups and downs, but that’s also what makes me who I am today: someone who never gives up, who doesn’t throw in the towel, even when things seem catastrophic. I was here four years ago, and I quit the Vendée Globe when I was in fourth place. People often said I wasn’t lucky. I think luck has nothing to do with it; it’s a matter of hard work and determination. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. That’s destiny. I wouldn’t trade my place or my journey for anything in the world. These have been wonderful years, sometimes painful ones, but this third place, I want to dedicate it to all those who were there: all the collaborators at Groupe Dubreuil, my family, my friends, my team who worked tirelessly to prepare this boat. I often say they scored the try, and I just converted it."
© Jean-Louis Carli / Alea
Source: Vendée Globe
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