Paralympian Damien Seguin crosses the finishing line in his second consecutive Vendée Globe

Four years on from finishing in 7th in an edition without an audience Damien admits he had a hard time “getting back into his race” after the enormous wave of support offered by the Vendéen public.

At 45, Seguin succeeded in his bet to continue sailing at the highest level, even if, by his own admission, this second round the world race was “a battle against himself”, but also against particularly erratic weather that deprived Groupe APICIL of his long-held dream of competing at the head of the fleet.

Like a true champion, he fought hard until the end, holding on to his 15th place as three rivals pressed hard only a few miles behind.

Already behind the head of the fleet at the start of his race, the skipper fell into calm winds off the Canaries and routed to the east when all the big names in the IMOCA class went towards the west. This created an early gap he would never be able to close.

The setbacks piled up in a complex passage through the doldrums and Damien crossed the equator in 17th place. In the South Atlantic, he battled with Pip Hare, Romain Attanasio and Louis Burton, before heading further north in the Indian Ocean to preserve his IMOCA, the former Maître CoQ IV, winner of the 2020 edition, brought up to date with large foils during a major refit.

December 13 was a day to forget when a chainplate was torn off in a storm, creating a leak on board. While trying to make a repair Damien injured his neck and knee and was forced to regularly wear a neck brace throughout the remainder of his race.

The Pacific was no easier for Groupe APICIL, even if he managed to make up more than 500 miles on Romain Attanasio. Unfavourable weather systems followed one after the other and, just behind, Jean Le Cam, who had been able to sail a far more direct route, caught up with him.

Damien rounded Cape Horn after 54 days at sea, three fewer than in his 2020 Vendée Globe, but his troubles were not over. The ascent of the Atlantic was also an ordeal, as he was the first to be stopped by a high pressure system creating a barrier and twice saw the group behind catch up, some of them gaining 2,000 miles, but he dug deep, particularly in an exceptionally difficult passage of the doldrums.

The ultimate reward for this round the world race, however, is this victory in the final battle, in a sprint from the north of the Azores in a regrouping of the fleet.

Launching his foiling boat at full speed, the Groupe APICIL skipper took the lead over his seven nearest competitors and managed to lengthen his stride to cross the finish line first.

As he said before leaving Sables d’Olonne in November: “you really have to understand that the Vendée Globe is a race apart, and where absolutely anything can happen.”

Original text and images courtesy of Vendee Globe. Read more here.