Tanguy Le Turquais finishes 17th in the Vendée Globe 2024
by Vendée Globe media 3 Feb 21:03 HKT
3 February 2025
Lazare skipper Tanguy Le Turquais (FRA) is photographed after taking 17th place in the Vendée Globe, on February 03, in Les Sables d'Olonne, France © Jean-Louis Carli / Alea
On crossing the finish line this February 3 at 1137hrs UTC, after 84 days, 23 hours and 35 minutes of racing, Tanguy Le Turquais has made a dream come true: to complete his Vendée Globe.
His long held desire to compete in the Vendée Globe strengthened when he welcomed his life partner, Clarisse Cremer, back into the legendary Les Sables d'Olonne channel after her 12th place four years ago.
A former Mini650 sailor turned Figaro racer, all the way through his race Le Turquais has shown his skill and determination first and foremost as a competitor, determined to never give up and to share his story, including all the emotions he has had to deal with.
During his build up period, last Autumn he struggled with a technical issue, a major leak into his boat during the Transat Jacques Vabre which required him and his co skipper to stop into Lorient to repair. They restarted five days later, meaning Le Turquais started the return solo race one day after the fleet left.
But he proved his grit and tenacity successfully completed the return Atlantic crossing, guaranteeing participation in the most challenging of all round-the-world races.
Tanguy demonstrated his talents repeatedly during his Vendée Globe, constantly trying to get the best out of his daggerboard boat. He endured his share of the bad weather that has characterised this edition of the race for many, including powerful low pressure systems at the Cape of Good Hope, the Kerguelen Islands and Cape Leeuwin in particular.
Each time, the boat suffered and forced the living area to be transformed into a DIY workshop at different times repairing broken mainsail battens, as well as structural damage including a bulkhead repair.
His successes in solving these problems and pushing the boat hard was rewarded when he caught up with Jean Le Cam's group of boats, which had been 900 miles ahead in the Southern Ocean. By the end of the race he was neck and neck in a group of eight skippers with whom the battle raged until the finish line.
The skipper of Lazare also talked about his separation, being away from his daughter Mathilda as well as his pride in his partner Clarisse Cremer who completed the Vendée Globe over a week ago. He spoke of hallucinations of pirates who would come on board, the joy of experiencing tight competition in the heart of the fleet and his pleasure in enjoying many magnificent sunsets on the open ocean.
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