Sam Davies: "I had a total blast, I have zero regrets!”

I think the harder it is, the more you appreciate it at the finish. The joys of the finish, I have been waiting for this since 2009. I am delighted to finally finish the Vendée Globe again. The end was harder and longer than I had ever, ever expected but I know that is also all part of the Vendée Globe. Until the finish line, you have to give everything. It is just simply an incredible adventure.

It was frustrating in that in terms of ranking, I would have liked to do better. I had a few technical problems at just the wrong times, and these made me miss certain systems. The level is so high that you can't make mistakes. I always had the impression of trying to catch up with those who were in front. And when I got there, it all started again, I had to get moving again, start all over again.

Yes, I am frustrated by my ranking but not by the race. I gave it my all from the start to the finish. I was in a group with Clarisse, Justine, Boris at the start then with Benj at the end and I was going all out the whole time. The boat was incredible. I have zero regrets. Someone had to finish last in this group, this time it was me but I had a blast the whole race. Such frustrations are quickly forgotten!
 

For me, it is a dream come true. It was two editions since I had finished, so I am obviously really happy to be here. It’s clear that it took a bit longer than I thought, but that’s how it is.
 

The problem wasn’t that I couldn’t cross the finish line, it was that it was impossible to find shelter in such difficult conditions. I was happy to be with Boris (Hermann) on my course in the last few days and to face it all together. We had no choice, we had to get through these depressions. Afterwards, I had confidence in my boat, it was incredible. The waves were getting bigger and breaking: sometimes, I forced myself not to look at them because they were so scary.
 

Setting off so far from any land, from any civilisation, is always a test. It’s a test of the mind, a test of your ability to manage solitude and the repetition of the effort. But I think we all come to seek out the magical sensations of the Big South. The whales, the seals, the birds and then Cape Horn... To experience that while being at the heart of a race like this is great. Four years ago, I crossed the Southern Ocean without feeling like I was in a race and I had bad memories of it. This time, it was great!

If I think about it when I'm on land, what we experience is horrible. Sometimes, you have to think several days in advance about what you're going to need in a bag that's at the front of the boat, because you know that it won't be possible to access it for the next three days. It can be dangerous. Before the start, I was a little worried about whether I would be able to live like that for two and a half months, but in the end, the boats are so incredible! I didn't suffer from that, from this somewhat harsh lifestyle: it went smoothly. I think that's what surpassing yourself is: at sea, you discover you're capable of things you would never have imagined. It's a source of immense satisfaction... and in a way, it's a bit like the Vendée Globe drug!

Before leaving, the goal was to pass three capes: the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn but also the mark of a total of 500 children saved. This is the total goal that was set at the beginning of the Initiatives-Coeur project, first with Tanguy de Lamotte and then with me. Our partners pay money for each click on our site and our social networks. So it is not thanks to me but thanks to you, thanks to the public, if we can help these children. And I thank you all from the bottom of my heart!