Like Armel Le Cléac’h last year, nothing or no one appears to be able to stop Jérémie. In this 477-mile leg, he dominated for 400 miles and succeeded thanks to a succession of winning tactical choices. Jérémie was therefore the big winner in Les Sables d’Olonne. This was his fifth leg victory since 1997 and it is particularly fitting that it should happen in this port that he set sail from three years ago on his 60-foot boat without managing to make it back. He would indeed like to return here again to set sail in another edition of the Vendée Globe.

On the pontoons in Port Olona at the end of this third leg, it was clear that Jérémie had given it his all to stay in the lead, as he spoke with his hands and seemed unable to finish his sentences. “I don’t want to spoil this enjoyable moment, but I’m exhausted (…) For three days, I wondered what to do to stay at the front. It was down to next to nothing. Just getting the boat going again at the right moment, never giving up with the finest of adjustments. In fact, the more you progress, the less you want the others to catch you. Can you imagine? Two days, almost three in the lead just 0.4 miles ahead of the nearest boat. The circumstances meant that those chasing after me had favourable conditions. I never managed to make my getaway. So there comes a time when you do what you can and you tell yourself: I simply have to win this one. I didn’t want anyone else to take this away from me. Yes, of course, it’s great. Winning a leg is the pinnacle for a sailor. I don’t want to miss out on the enjoyment, but really, I’m exhausted.”