The eyes are still marked by fatigue but Yannick Bestaven has had a first sleep in.
Early Thursday morning, the skipper of Maître-CoQ won the Vendée Globe, his first solo round-the-world race.
At 48, he became the oldest winner of the event.
The sailor and father of two tells us about his return to earth, his adventure which ended in apotheosis.
Do you manage to realize and say to yourself: “Yes, I won the Vendée Globe”?
YANNICK BESTAVEN.
(
He thinks
).
Tell me yes, but maybe not realize it.
This is not unexpected because I did everything for four years.
I wanted to make a nice copy, but from there to win… My daughters got on board, they didn't dare to move.
I said to them:
look, they made us a fireworks display
.
Loïse (12 years old) encouraged me:
do it this Vendée, finish it for yourself
.
The first thing I said to him was,
you see, I'm done
.
Mona (16) added:
and
besides, you won it
.
Thursday, at 6 o'clock, you hold up the trophy ...
I kissed him before leaving, I think I was the only one.
Maybe it was a sign (he laughs)!
Why did you want Charlie Dalin to lift him with you?
Charlie missed out on the final victory (Editor's note:
2nd because of the compensations awarded after cutting the finish line first
) but he was very classy, that made me more legitimate.
He was embarrassed to get his hands on the trophy, but we all won this Vendée Globe.
Much has been said about compensation hours.
Yes, that put victory back into play, but it's normal to have recovered the hours we lost to go find a friend in his liferaft (Kevin Escoffier, shipwrecked in the Indian Ocean).
If there are no more compensated hours, sailors who will have to come to the aid of others may wonder whether or not to go.
Morning essentials newsletter
A tour of the news to start the day
Subscribe to the newsletterAll newsletters
PODCAST. The shipwreck, the rescue, his passion for sailing: Kevin Escoffier tells his story
When did you realize that victory might be for you?
When I pass Cape Horn in the lead.
I resume 450 miles in advance, with the compensations (10:15 am), I begin to project myself.
Behind, the disillusion is enormous.
In front of Brazil, I am blocked, I lose everything, I have a feeling of injustice.
In that moment, you blame the whole earth.
I held on to the fact that I was in the top five, that I had nothing to lose.
I took this northern option which paid off.
VIDEO. Yannick Bestaven wins the Vendée Globe: "It's a childhood dream come true"
When Charlie Dalin cuts the line, on the ground, a count starts to materialize these 10:15 am you have left to arrive and win.
Did you have it on board?
I had asked my team to give me their finish time to the nearest second to know how far I could go in taking the risk.
I then calculated that I would have two hours early at the finish, but at no time did I step into the shoes of the winner.
Besides, even when I cut the line, I asked if it was safe.
You will receive a check for 200,000 euros.
What are you going to do with it?
Throw a party, on a huge catamaran with mirror balls!
Just kidding… I didn't even think about it.
For me, that means a lot.
I am not very thrifty, I have never stocked too much, it will scare the banker!
I am going to place, my daughters' studies are approaching.
READ ALSO>
Winning the Vendée Globe, what does that change?
Of all the Vendée winners, which one suits you the most?
Titouan Lamazou (winner of the first edition in 1989).
The Vendée Globe is of course a competition, but it's also an adventure.
This is what made me dream.
I had reread Lamazou's book before leaving, I love these stories about old boats.
I thought of those pioneers in the southern seas, Titouan and the others were going among the icebergs.
It was something else.
I remember the arrival of Christophe Auguin (1996), he said that you had to be stupid to go back.
This is a crazy thing, you do it once in your life.
But will you go back there?
I don't know if I'm stupid or not.
I already know that I want to continue boating.
Afterwards, I have everything to go back but will I feel fit?
Not having finished the Vendée in 2004 was a frustration for a long time.
I did not even do 24 hours and I returned with the mast horizontal.
When I was told:
you did the Vendée
, I said no, I took pictures at the start, and I came back.
What do we dream of after 80 days alone?
To see loved ones and to do the simple things in life.
Take your daughters to school, go buy a wand, run the mower, and help others.
During confinement, with the association La Halte du Cœur, I distributed food products to people who shit a little every day.
I want to do that, just to get back to real values.
You had by videoconference Jean-Michel Blanquer, Minister of National Education, Youth, and Sports, and Roxana Maracineanu, Minister Delegate for Sports.
What did you tell them?
I am very happy to have been able to thank them for allowing us to take the start on November 8th.
In the midst of a health crisis, the decision should not be easy to take, they took a risk.
But what a breath they gave to our sport, to our economy and to the French who were able to follow our adventures.
They told me about a party as soon as possible, in Sables-d'Olonne, in the presence of Emmanuel Macron ...
And the president will give you the Legion of Honor ...
Or the maritime medal, I don't know… I don't know if my victory deserves a Legion of Honor.
Of course, it's an honor to be decorated, but I didn't do anything extraordinary.
I did not go to war, I did not save resistance fighters, I did not put my life in danger for others.
Yes, I made people dream, but from there to being a hero ... A guy who takes the plunge to save a newborn will be more heroic than me.
You nevertheless went to help Kevin Escoffier, being confused.
What memories do you keep of this special night?
It was horrible.
For me, Kevin was missing at sea. When I arrive in the area, I have Jean Le Cam on the VHF who tells me that he missed him at sunset.
It's a one shot rifle a rescue, you rarely get a second chance.
It was night, 7 degrees, there were 8 m hollows.
I thought of Kevin who had to roll and roll on his raft.
I'm attached, with my binoculars to look for your buddy's light in the dark night, all the safety gear just in case, I don't let go.
In the middle of the night, I'm sure we won't find him.
And when at 5 o'clock in the morning:
we tell you, it's good, you can resume the race.
You're ruined, soaked.
Ah, it did me good to see Kevin at the finish, what a force of nature this guy!