Present to welcome Samantha Davies, who was diverted to go to his assistance, Yann Eliès did not go unnoticed on the pontoons in Port Olona. He began a long period of physiotherapy over a month ago to recover the use of his leg, but the progress is already visible, as he is now only using one crutch. He even went aboard a RIB to accompany Sam Davies through the harbour channel. «I’m pleased to be here and to have experienced Sam’s arrival. It was a magical night. It was important for me to come to Les Sables d’Olonne, even if I would have preferred to sail in myself via the harbour channel. It’s a breath of fresh air to leave behind my hospital bed and to get out on the water in my oilskins. That does a lot of good to a sailor. Sam sailed the race she expected and wanted to sail. But what surprises us is that pleasure she felt every day at sea… That’s the secret behind her success in this Vendée Globe.»

“It was nice to have a few hours moored up. I’m pleased to have brought Roxy to Les Sables d'Olonne. I’ve just realised I’m back on dry land for the first time in three months. I’m happy and it was like that almost all the time. I use positive energy to feel good. It’s such a big thing doing the Vendée Globe. There were two or three moments that were difficult to be positive about, with Yann and his leg or Jean capsizing. Those were very stressful moments. Then, there was the time off Brazil, when I was stuck without any wind for several days. Even now when I think of everything I did in the south, I don’t know how I did it and I don’t know why I wasn’t afraid! My first time in the south for the Jules Verne Trophy was eleven years ago. I was a young girl without much experience and so I couldn’t enjoy it as much as this time.
It didn’t feel too long. I even wondered during the night if I shouldn’t set off again, but a lot of people would have been disappointed. I hadn’t realised how popular I was. I was in my little pink bubble on Roxy, but when I looked at my website, that cheered me up, and I was surprised by all the messages from everywhere in the world.
What I’m going to miss is being alone on my boat. It was enjoyable and I was lucky to be able to do that ... The other night, I told myself that this was my final evening and the phone kept ringing. So I put on my i-Pod and turned the music up. There I was at the helm under spinnaker in the sunset. It’s what I love most.
But I won’t miss my two buckets. I really want to have a nice shower with a lot of products and creams! Now my goal is to do better in 2012, and I’m going to be doing my utmost to be back here in four years."

And Sam douses the media with champagne after docking, stopping for ten minutes to answer questions from the radio and TV and journalists before heading to the podium. On the water in RIB were both Yann Elies and Roland Jourdain out to greet Sam, Mike Golding is also here. Best moment for Sam was Cape Horn, worst moments were when she was worrying about Yann Elies when he was injured on board Generali.

And Sam is fully kitted out for the weather, it is still very cold this morning and she will dock in a few minutes before stepping back on to dry land for the first time in more than 96 days. There are also big crowds in the Arrival Village, and at 0700hrs this morning there was already a big queue at the gates, people waiting in the freezing cold, desperate to get the best spot in front of the big screen and hoping to catch a few words with Sam maybe.

Roxy will dock behind Brit Air which arrived here exactly a week ago ithis morning n second place.

The official number of people out to greet Sam is '......a lot' ...they are four or five deep along the whole channel and the narrow waterway is chock a block with boats, and every so often Roxy comes to a halt just due to the volume of traffic. It is like the Pied Piper with a long train of boats of all shapes and sizes following the polka dot Open 60 down the canal.

Sam Davies, her Roxy team, friends, family and supporters are arriving down the channel now in perfect sunshine. Thousands of people are lined up on both sides and the cheers can be heard for miles as Sam leaps around the bow of Roxy, standing up on the pulpit and waving to everyone with that 1000 watt smile, laughing to herself. No sign of any lack of energy after a long night waiting to come ashore. And another pair of flares are lit as she passes half way down the channel now.