Paul Meilhat: "I loved being in such direct competition all the time"

It's happiness, joy... This morning, I had a quiet moment to think about the whole race. What an emotion to find faces, smiles! It's been two and a half months since I've seen anyone apart from calls on Ektacom or WhatsApp!

The beginning was a bit laborious. It took me a long time to get into the Top 10. I was expecting it, because I was sailing with new foils and I didn't yet have all the keys to exploit them. I learned. I also knew that, over the long term, I had the ability and the mental resources, and that's one of my strengths. I loved the climb up the Atlantic, but I did also the South, even though it was incredibly intense. What I liked about this Vendée Globe, compared to my first participation, is that I have always loved being in direct competition with other skippers. It was great, really great! I loved this race. You don't see the time passing, and yet, in the end, you're completely exhausted. But at no time did I get bored or wonder what I was doing there. I gave it my all, all the time. Like everyone else, I've had my share of problems, but in sport, you always push further, you go beyond your limits. And when it works, it's just incredible.

What's great about this project is that we built it from scratch, building the boat and staying true to the philosophy we set out from the start. For four years, we never wavered from our principles, and it paid off.

I'm just not one for one particular thing, I don't have a favorite dish, book or movie. And for this race, it's the same: each moment was unique and often difficult. But if I had to choose, I think it is the South that will remain engraved in my memory, especially the Pacific. Sailing at 60° South, where it's never dark, in an intense battle, it was incredible. I have great memories just before Cape Horn, downwind. It was really beautiful. There were so many beautiful moments, but also very hard moments. Fortunately, we motivated each other, by sending each other messages, with Sam, Nico, Boris... As soon as there was a problem, we supported each other. It was really nice. A race is only valuable thanks to your opponents, and here, I had the best you can imagine: multiple winners of the Solitaire du Figaro in front of me and behind me. It's mind-blowing! The level of the Vendée Globe has become incredible. It's a very high-level global regatta.

I don't know. When you win a race, it's something else. I finished 5th, but it's probably one of the greatest overall achievements of my career. Above all, it is the culmination of four years of hard work with a whole team. What makes this finish even more special is that I know the pain of abandoning, which I experienced eight years ago. To finish this time is a huge source of pride. Fifth is exceptional. The Vendée Globe sets the pace for our lives, a bit like the Olympic Games for some athletes. For four years, we think only of that, we make a lot of sacrifices. Today, I just want to give back what I received, to thank all those who supported me.

Yes, it's an emotional experience. On our boats, we have incredible freedom despite a living space reduced to 6 m². However, this freedom is accompanied by being totally cut off from the world. For my part, I had voluntarily isolated myself: no Starlink, no cell phone. I only communicated with my wife, my children and my team, nothing more. It was a way for me to stay focused on my race, because I knew it was my strength. I just allowed myself to follow the sports news a little with L'Équipe: I looked at the rugby results and learned that Donald Trump had been elected, and that was it.

Ça bouge autant que le bateau ! (Rires)