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February 16. 2009 at 03:15Marc's first words at the finish

Marc's first words at the finish

"This is an incredibly emotional moment. There have been many great moments throughout the race, particularly those I spent alongside Yann Eliès. After a voyage with so much emotion and excitement, my mind is full of memories. And I’m going to be on the podium! I don’t know what I can say, except that it’s amazing, a truly great moment. It’s also in some ways down to Samantha Davies too. We were so close sailing alongside each other. That motivated me and her too to fight to the finish and encouraged me to find what it took to complete the race without a keel. Since this morning, time was slipping by for third place. On top of that, I was surrounded by Brits and didn’t want them to get ahead. I really worked hard at sailing the boat today. I thought that what Bilou did without a keel was incredible, but these boats are really very stable. I would never have thought that it would be possible to finish without a keel and I don’t want to go through that again. I’m really looking forward to savouring this Vendée Globe with my family and friends. As for next time, I don’t know. The Vendée Globe isn’t something you decide to do just like that."

February 16. 2009 at 02:52Skippers on

And despite the fact it is 2.53 in the morning the crowds are lining the canal in big numbers and making a lot of noise, on the foredeck now are Bilou, Kito and Jean Le Cam and Yann Elies is beside them in a Zodiac

February 16. 2009 at 02:48Heading in

And Marco has his technical team on board and he will take on the invited skippers, those who did not finish. Just a matter of half a mile from the channel. So he will begin his entry into the channel almost immediately.

February 16. 2009 at 02:30Brian 32 miles from the finish

Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) was 32 miles from the finish at 0130h GMT, making 7 knots.

February 16. 2009 at 02:13Finished

And with the half moon on his bow after a final tack he crosses the line on port tack in third at 01:21:36  GMT  trimming his sails through the last minutes,  making 5 knots Elapsed time 95 days 3 hours 19 mins 36 secs WITH redress rage speeed on theoretical route 10.87 knots 1 21 36 GMT finish time real distance sailed 28,401 miles. Lead over Sam Davies 1 hr 19 min 25 sec

February 16. 2009 at 02:09A few minutes

And the race committee welcome into their proximity with a few well chosen words of congratulations, confirming he will be third, he is on the deck to check now as he approaches the line.

February 16. 2009 at 02:06One last tack

And Marco is making one last tack now, a careful gentle manoeuvre to lay the line, Guillemot settles his boat  for  the last few hundred metres, making 7 knots and he is due to cross the line in a few minutes.

February 16. 2009 at 02:01At one mile to the finish

And so one mile from the line, it is still quite puffy on this cold, clear night with about 11 knots of wind blowing, Safran heels a little from time to time, and the security Zodiacs are doing a great job now of keeping his path clear, he should finish at around 0110hrs GMT which will give him about 1.5 hours on Roxy.

February 16. 2009 at 01:57Alongside Marco

So the final minutes and Marco is close to the line, has just signalled to the committee boat his arrival is imminent. The media boats are jostling for the best position trying to get their shots, what a success for Guillemot in his first Vendee Globe.

February 16. 2009 at 01:50Alongside Marco

And the long string of orange streetlights which follow the east  beach of Les Sables d'Olonne are the backdrop to the finish line, a panorama which he left on 9th November, the relief will be welling up as he sees the finish line winking at him a matter of a mile or so ahead of him.