Keel-less rival takes third place

Vendee Globe skipper Sam Davies had her podium place snatched away by the slimmest of margins – just 1 hour and 19 minutes – after French skipper Marc Guillemot (Safran) crossed the Les Sables d’Olonne finish line in the early hours of this morning, clinching third place in the race.

Marc received a time compensation of 82 hours for diverting to assist in the rescue of fellow French sailor Yann Eliès, who broke a thigh bone – his time allowance ticked away after Sam crossed the finish line in third place on Valentine’s Day … if he had been just the 79 minutes later in the French port this morning, she would have kept her third place.

Marc Guillemot sailed the final 1,000 miles with no keel after it dropped out on 9 February.

After finishing he said: ‘It is an incredible moment. All these emotions, all the images, everything stops when you cross the line. I have a head overflowing with images and emotions. It is amazing.”

“And on top of that, I am on the podium. It is incredible. The fact I had Sam beside me motivated me to go a bit faster, and I think me being with her pushed her. We pushed one another.”