Vendée Globe: Victory goes to Bestaven

Les Sables d’Olonne, France (January 28, 2021) – French skipper Charlie Dalin lived up to his status as favorite in the ninth edition of the Vendée Globe, steering his 2019 Verdier design Apivia first across the finish line yesterday at 19:35:47 UTC, completing the solo circumnavigation in 80 days 6hrs 15mins 47secs since the start on November 8.

But the usual joy the 36-year-old skipper had earned was tempered as two close rivals, Germany’s Boris Herrmann and French skipper Yannick Bestaven, were not far behind and had been awarded time allowances of six hours and ten hours and 15 minutes respectively for when they were called upon to support the rescue of Kevin Escoffier whose IMOCA PRB effectively broke in two suddenly on November 30, 550 miles SW of Cape Town, South Africa.

With the clock now ticking, shocking news came that Hermmann, just 90 miles from the finish and in third place, had collided with a fishing boat at 19:50 UTC (Jan. 27). He reported that his 2015 VPLP-Verdier design Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco incurred damage which included his starboard foil, and that he would be proceeding towards the finish line at reduced speed. Hermmann details the accident in this video.

All eyes than turned to Bestaven, and with 96 nautical miles to the finish line at 22:30 UTC last night, he would need to complete his race today before 05:50:47 UTC if he is to better Dalin’s elapsed time. At that moment, it looked like his to lose, as he needed to average 13.5kts and was making 18kts in his 2015 VPLP-Verdier design Maître Coq IV.

In the meantime, Louis Burton would be the next to finish, driving his 2015 VPLP-Verdier design Bureau Vallée 2 across the finish line at 23:45:12 (Jan. 27), trailing Dalin by 04:09:25 in what is the proving to be race’s closest and most hotly contested finish ever. However, Burton would also now need to wait out the clock for his final result.

As the next boats sailed downwind on opposite gybes in the southwesterly winds, Hermmann on port had slowed to less than 10 knots, allowing both Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut, 2019 Verdier design) and Bestaven on starboard to cross ahead in their final approach to the finish.

In the end it was the 48 year old Bestaven, in his second Vendée Globe, who beat the clock and the 32 other skippers to claim victory.

Current Standings*
1. Yannick BESTAVEN, Maître CoQ IV – Finished Jan. 28 (03:19:46) – 80:03:44:46
2. Charlie DALIN, APIVIA – Finished Jan. 27 (19:35:47) – 80:06:15:47
3. Louis BURTON, BUREAU VALLEE 2 – Finished Jan. 27 (23:45:12) – 80:10:25:12

* Time awards given to Yannick Bestaven, Jean Le Cam, and Boris Herrmann for their participation in the rescue of Kevin Escoffier will be applied when the skippers finish. – Details

Race details – Boat types – Tracker – Ranking – YouTube

The Vendée Globe is the only sailing race round the world that’s solo, non-stop, and without assistance, and it was all systems go for the 9th edition on November 8. Beginning in 1989 with 13 entries, and held every four years, the start line in 2020 had 33 skippers taking off from Les Sables d’Olonne, France.

The development of the IMOCA Class toward foiling will see these boats hurl themselves around the world, teetering on carbon skates through inhospitable regions, chasing the record set in 2016-17 by Armel le Cléac’h of 74:03:35:46.

2020-21 Attrition
Nov. 16, 2020 – Nicolas TROUSSEL, CORUM L’EPARGNE – dismasted
Nov. 28, 2020 – Alex THOMSON, HUGO BOSS – rudder damage
Nov. 30, 2020 – Kevin ESCOFFIER, PRB – hull damage (sunk)
Dec. 4, 2020 – Sébastien SIMON, ARKEA PAPREC – foil damage
Dec. 5, 2020 – Sam DAVIES, Initiatives-Cœur – keel damage (collision)
Dec. 11, 2020 – Fabrice AMEDEO, NEWREST – ART & FENÊTRES – computer failure
Jan. 9, 2021 – Isabelle JOSCHKE, MACSF – keel ram failure
Jan. 16, 2021 – Sébastien DESTREMAU, MERCI – autopilot failure

Participation history:
1989-90: 13 boats at the start
1992-93: 15 boats
1996-97: 15 boats
2000-01: 24 boats
2004-05: 20 boats
2008-2009: 30 boats
2012-2013: 20 boats
2016-2017: 29 boats
2020-2021: 33 boats

2020-21 Entries
Fabrice AMEDEO: NEWREST – ART & FENÊTRES
Romain ATTANASIO: PURE – BEST WESTERN
Alexia BARRIER: TSE – 4MYPLANET
Yannick BESTAVEN: MAÎTRE COQ IV
Jérémie BEYOU: CHARAL
Arnaud BOISSIÈRES: LA MIE CÂLINE – ARTISANS ARTIPÔLE
Louis BURTON: BUREAU VALLÉE 2
Didac COSTA: ONE PLANET ONE OCEAN
Manuel COUSIN: GROUPE SÉTIN
Clarisse CREMER: BANQUE POPULAIRE X
Charlie DALIN: APIVIA
Samantha DAVIES: INITIATIVES-CŒUR
Sébastien DESTREMAU: MERCI
Benjamin DUTREUX: OMIA – WATER FAMILY
Kevin ESCOFFIER: PRB
Clément GIRAUD: COMPAGNIE DU LIT / JILITI
Pip HARE: MEDALLIA
Boris HERRMANN: SEA EXPLORER – YACHT CLUB DE MONACO
Ari HUUSELA: STARK
Isabelle JOSCHKE: MACSF
Jean LE CAM: YES WE CAM !
Stéphane LE DIRAISON: TIME FOR OCEANS
Miranda MERRON: CAMPAGNE DE FRANCE
Giancarlo PEDOTE: PRYSMIAN GROUP
Alan ROURA: LA FABRIQUE
Thomas RUYANT: LINKEDOUT
Damien SEGUIN: GROUPE APICIL
Kojiro SHIRAISHI: DMG MORI
Sébastien SIMON: ARKEA – PAPREC
Maxime SOREL: V AND B – MAYENNE
Alex THOMSON: HUGO BOSS
Armel TRIPON: L’OCCITANE EN PROVENCE
Nicolas TROUSSEL: CORUM L’ÉPARGNE

Source: Vendée Globe