"It’s magical ! Absolutely incredible seeing all these people here to meet me in the sunshine in Les Sables d’Olonne. I’m very pleased and I could feel the tears welling up, when I saw all those motor boats on the water around Brit’Air.

I could not have dreamed of anything better. The last few days were very difficult with very rough conditions in the Bay of Biscay. Huge waves were breaking over the deck. The protective cover was ripped off, the mainsail car broke off the mast, but we managed to finish and on time.”

Brit Air completed the famous non stop solo round the world without assistance race in a 17-22-knot breeze cheered home by a spectator fleet out on the water enjoying the winter sunshine and braving the chill of the early morning.

Le Cléac’h is due to return into the famous canal to a big celebration around midday just as soon as the tide allows. At the age of 31, a newcomer to the Vendée Globe, he takes second place in this 6th edition 5 days 6 hours and 30 minutes behind the winner, Michel Desjoyeaux. His theoretical speed was 11.57 knots. Having sailed 27,233 miles, his real average speed was12.69 knots. His second place in the rankings will not be confirmed until 71 hours have passed to take into account the difference between his 11 hours of redress for going to the help of Jean le Cam and the 82 hours granted to Marc Guillemot for his involvement in the rescue of Yann Eliès.

Armel Le Cléac’h clinched his second with tenacity, patience and prudence, a maturity shown which belies this being his first solo round the world race. Before this race the Breton round the world rookie had never spent more than twenty days in a row at sea, but today not only did he complete his race but took a highly valued clear second place behind the invincible Desjoyeaux. Just 31 when he rounded the Horn for the first time, the sailor from Morlaix finished second in last year’s Transat race when three favourites retired with damage – Riou, Josse and Desjoyeaux - and had also won the Figaro solo event in 2003 and the 2004 Transat AG2R in the past.

From the start of this Vendée Globe on 9th November, Armel had been up with the leaders : among the ten fast and furious on the way down the Atlantic, within 100 miles of the leader. During this stretch of the race and again later in the Pacific, Brit Air would be sailing in the company of 2004 Vendee Globe race winner Vincent Riou PRB and could regularly be found in fourth or fifth place. Off the coast of Brazil, as he rounded the S^t. Helena high, he even made it into the top three for a few days when the race was led by Loïck Peyron, Sébastien Josse and Yann Eliès.

In the southern ocean, as soon as he reached the Forties and entered the Indian Ocean, Armel intentionally eased back to find his own pace, while continuing to remain in contact with the frontrunners. Striving to look after his boat and gear, he also needed to get used to the new experience of the southern latitudes. But his sheer competitive drive would ensure that he remained within reach of the leaders. As a result he was to remain in the top ten. Gradually, just as Michel Desjoyeaux was taking the lead, Armel would start to find his way back.

Fifth at Christmas. As if he was being pulled along by the Foncia express train in the Pacific, he spent Christmas in fifth place and for the New Year grabbed fourth place, still alongside Vincent Riou. Together in the top five, remained together until the worrying and stressful incident separated them : VM Matériaux’s capsize on 6th January 2009, 200 miles from Cape Horn. Following Jean le Cam, then in third place, Vincent Riou and Armel Le Cléac’h were diverted to go to the help of the skipper trapped inside his overturned boat.

Armel Le Cléach reached the spot at 15h30, an hour or so after Vincent. The two skippers then took it in turns to offer their support to Jean Le Cam for three hours, before he was taken safely aboard PRB at 18h15…. with all that ensued.

Third at Cape Horn. Armel Le Cléac’h gradually got back on track for the Horn, full of contradictory emotions. He rounded the Horn on 7th January… one of the great moments in this race. He was then in third place behind Roland Jourdain and Michel Desjoyeaux. He would keep this place until Veolia Environnement Environnement lost her keel and was forced to retire on 2^nd February in the Azores.

In figures

 Equator : 22/11 at 00h56 after 12 days 12 hours 54 mins in 5th place
 Cape of Good Hope : 06/12 at 12h14 after 27 days 00 h 12 mins in 10th place
 Cape Leeuwin : 17/12 at 16h40 after 38 days 4 h 38 mins in 5th place
 Cape Horn : 07/01 at 10h45 after 58 days 22 h 43 mins in 3rd place
 Equator 2 : 24/01 at 18h45 after 76 days 06 h 43 mins in 3rd place