“I was really looking forward to finishing this race with this third position for which I fought a lot. Of course, I was playing with the two leaders. I had the motivation and the desire and the ability probably, but the race is what it is and breaking the foil midway meant I dropped the lead mid Pacific.
My regret today is not having pushed more. The two first skippers managed to push their machines even harder, because they had only one objective – to win. For me, it was to finish the Vendée Globe. I think I took good care of my machine and I'm really proud of the 24-hour record, because I've set a high level.
The preparation of the competitors and all their teams for this edition is quite fabulous – bravo to everyone. In the end we beat this record, which is incredible: 615 miles with three sail changes in solo mode and do a back up – 25.7 knots on average.
I think this Vendee Globe will be a turning point for me. I grew up with this race, I consider it my race and I have an objective in mind. Maybe I will never reach it, but I still want to hope for it and I want to work for it, I want to try to give the maximum to maybe offer the highest step on the podium to the Dubreuil family and to my team. Paul-Henri Dubreuil sent me a text message to confirm that is also what he wants – that moved me a lot because it's proof of their faith in the project and in what we have created together. I could not hope for better.
The IMOCA market was crazy when we started this project only a year and a half ago – this boat became available and was a good choice, a super boat that had already proven itself. It was configured for crewed racing, but we tried to adapt the boat for solo racing, to make it a little bit more comfortable and to improve the safety. We had nets to impede projectiles, I wore helmets and we brought in expertise to anticipate the possibilities of breakages. With hindsight, I think we didn't go far enough, so we must continue in this direction to push the machine even further in the future.”
Was the breakage of your starboard foil connected with pushing the boat to break the 24-hour record?
“I don't think so. The theory says that composite materials don't get tired, so I think we still have a lot to learn in this field. These foils were proven by 11th Hour Racing in The Ocean Race and they had already broken records. I think it was just fate, but contrary to four years ago, there was no collateral damage for me, so I was able to continue the race.”
Squaring up to the Indian Ocean depression
“In the end I didn't have the choice to avoid it, even if I changed course 90 degrees to the north. I said to myself, 'it's part of the Vendee Globe to have 50, 60 knots of wind and 10 metre waves.' It's not pleasant, but sailing around the world is not all in the sun – I was ready for that."
In that depression one of Simon’s tanks leaked into four of his six food bags: “Only the vacuum packed and dried food escaped being ruined, so I had no more pleasurable food, no more breakfast, no more snacks, but I lost only three and a half kilos.
“Contrary to some of the big teams, I decided not to hide anything from the team and tell them everything that I was experiencing, even the small issues. They were always there to help me every day to find solutions for little issues and to maintain my performance – I'm very proud of them.”
