Justine Mettraux is the queen of the seas. Ranking eighth, the Swiss became the fastest woman in the history of the Vendée Globe on Saturday. “I feel like I can continue to progress,” even warned the sailor, as talented as she is reserved.
Aged 38, the Teamwork – Team Snef skipper arrived in Les Sables-d’Olonne at 1:38 p.m. after 76 days, 1 hour and 36 minutes at sea, succeeding the Frenchwoman Clarisse Crémer (87 days, 2 hours, 24 minutes in 2020 /2021). Born in Geneva, the one who took her first sails on a family boat on Lake Geneva, finished more than ten days after the winner Charlie Dalin, but impressed the entire fleet with her exemplary tenacity.
Six women taking part in the race
“Justine, she’s a golden sailor, it’s incredible what she’s done,” greeted the experienced Jérémie Beyou (Charal), 4th, on Friday, who sold her his old boat, a hydrofoil monohull. old generation, launched in 2018. Despite this technological deficit – all the boats ahead of it in the ranking were launched at least three years later –, “Juju the machine”, one of the six women engaged in this 10th edition, played at the forefront for two and a half months.
His first world tour, at a high level, is the image of a busy career. She already has three Ocean Races (crewed round the world trip with stopovers) under her belt and numerous transatlantic races, each time finishing in good place. “I have been following her for several years. He’s a superb sailor. She sails very clean, she has an impressive commitment,” said Catherine Chabaud on Saturday, the first woman to complete a round-the-world sailing trip, solo, in a race and non-stop. Coming to Les Sables with another renowned sailor, Isabelle Autissier, to welcome the Swiss, she believes that Mettraux “could win the Vendée Globe” one day.
Ellen MacArthur second in 2001
Applauded by thousands of people upon her arrival in Les Sables-d’Olonne, Justine Mettraux continued to pay tribute to her main regatta partners during the world tour. “It was intense. It’s great to have been able to play with them until the end. I have further progressed in mastering the boat and I feel like I can continue to progress,” she said at a press conference. She also preferred not to dwell on her record: “There is no distinct ranking, it has more of a symbolic value. Above all, I remember that this is the first time that there are so many women with competitive projects.”
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Long side by side with her, the British Samantha Davies (Initiatives-Coeur) and the French Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane) should cross the finish line in a few days and finish in the top 15 of the race. In 2001, the young British Ellen MacArthur finished 2nd after 94 days, 4 hours and 25 minutes at sea.