Vendée Globe- Wavre & Coville finish under old record time.

by Philippe Jeantot on 23 Feb 2001 Dominique Wavre (Union Bancaire Privée) crossed the finish line of the Vendée Globe in
5th position at 1858hrs and 12 seconds French time. The Swiss skipper has spent 105
days, 2 hours, 47 minutes and 12 seconds at sea. He is the 5th skipper as well to have
finished under the previous record time set by Christophe Auguin of 105 days and 20
hours. He sailed his final tack to the finish on a reach with the first steady breeze in a
week.
Thomas Coville (Sodebo), with whom Wavre played cat and mouse, sailing neck and
neck from Cape Horn all the way up the Atlantic, crossed the finish line in 6th place at
2335hrs and 00 seconds French time. Coville has therefore spent 105 days, 7 hours and
24 minutes racing solo round the world, thus beating Auguin's record as well.

As Coville missed the tide, he will enter the port on his Open 60 tomorrow Friday
February 23rd between 0700 - 0730hrs French time, followed by his press conference at
0900hrs.

Press Conference extracts - Dominic Wavre:

'The boat could set off again tomorrow, no problem! It¹s a real achievement, I¹ve finally
succeeded, and it was a good trip round. My hopes were all fulfilled, and I got the boat
round, and ahead of Sodebo, and I can see all my friends again. I feel fulfilled, I feel
totally content, it¹s different. I didn¹t think that the Vendée would change me but yep!

'I had to dig deep to find the energy to carry on when there wasn¹t a drop left, when the
reserves seemed unreachable. I did have doubts at first, then you learn to live in synch
with the boat, the two of you, and to be an accomplice to the sea itself. On the other
hand I¹d never want to re-live the last 10 days! It took all I had to not lose my head! It¹s
like some continuous opposing force. The wind just wouldn¹t listen to us! The last tack to
the finish was the only time I had a steady breeze in the last week, it was extraordinary!

'The best moment that I experienced was when I broke the speed record, and then this
arrival. Also, near the Kerguelens with 50 knots of wind, the seascape was just
breath-taking! The boat was reaching 20 ­ 25 knots! Coming into view of Marion Island,
each sunrise and sunset, the birds crossing my route, my regatta with ThomasŠ

'The worst moment, was when I left, I found that so hard. I found being on my own really
difficult for 2 ­ 3 days, I didn¹t expect that. I am delighted to tell you that I have all my
sails, blocks, sheets intact, I brought the boat home without any damage or break-down.
Thanks to my shore team and Michèle ­ Bravo!

'In the Vendée Globe, you learn about yourself, the sea, the boat, it¹s not enough to
summarise it like this, you have to learn where the limits are, you are deeply moved by
certain moments. It¹s about managing a project, bringing the boat back alone to home
port, about having a respect for the sea.'