Around the world in 74 days

Les Sables-d’Olonne : French skipper Armel Le Cleac’h won the Vendee Globe solo round the world yacht race yesterday in a record time.

The 39-year-old got the better of his titanic duel with British rival Alex Thomson to cross the finish line at Les Sables d’Olonne at 15:37GMT after 74 days, three hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds at sea.

Le Cleac’h smashed the previous record set by his compatriot Francois Gabart in 2013 of 78 days 2hr 16 min by almost four days.

Thomson, Le Cleac’h’s main rival since the maritime odyssey began on November 6, is expected to arrive at the France Atlantic coast port later Thursday over 100 nautical miles behind.

After crossing the finish line Le Cleac’h, his voice breaking with emotion, told French television: “I’m finding it hard to take on board what’s happened, the last few days were very intense, it’s amazing. “I wanted to win so much, every metre was difficult. This is a dream.”

Le Cleac’h’s state-of-the-art Banque Populaire yacht was accompanied on its triumphant return by a flotilla of dozens of small boats with a helicopter beaming live television pictures hovering overhead.

A huge crowd lined the coast braving icy but sunny conditions to accord the jubilant but exhausted navigator a hero’s welcome on dry land. Le Cleac’h, who has led the gruelling race for the last month and a half and who was shadowed by Thomson ever since passing Cape Horn, was tasting Vendee Globe glory for the first time after finishing runner-up in the last two editions.

“I had the feeling everything including the weather was against me, but I stuck to the job and had lots of support.

“I didn’t think about victory until last night.” “I had to keep going right to the finish line, at one stage Alex got to within 40 miles to me.” “He’s a very tough rival” added the father-of-two, his boat invaded by family, friends and support crew.

While Le Cleac’h was savouring finally ascending sailing’s ‘Everest’, Thomson, dogged by mechanical problems on his Hugo Boss boat, will have to wait another four years for a fresh tilt at becoming the first non-French winner of the Vendee Globe.

Le Cleac’h became the seventh winner - all French - of the coveted event first staged 28 years ago.

On his way to second place Thomson, only the second Briton to finish runner-up after Ellen MacArthur in 2001, set a new record of distance sailed in 24 hours of 536.81 nautical miles.