Circumnavigation : westward solo is brave

Guirec Soudée enjoyed a very special encounter during his solo circumnavigation from east to west in the middle of the Pacific.

It was 23 February 2025 when Guirec Soudée crossed the finish line of his first Vendée Globe in 23rd place. 

The Frenchman returned from the race around the world with the Breton flag flying on the "Freelance.com" and a great deal of pride.

At 89 days, 20 hours, 16 minutes and 20 seconds, Soudée only crossed the finish line 25 days after the winner Charlie Dalin, but the adventurous and now regatta-hungry sailor celebrated his solo with the many fans like a victory.

 

Circumnavigation: from adventurer to record-breaker via the Vendée Globe?

The then 32-year-old Ocean Lover made the leap from adventurer to regatta sailor with the Vendée Globe.

Known before the start as the man who sailed around the world with his hen Monique had wintered in the ice of the Arctic and crossed the Atlantic twice in a rowing boat, he had now completed his solo premiere around the world in regatta mode.

On the very day of his arrival, Guirec announced to the assembled press on 8 February 2025 that his next goal would be to sail solo around the world from east to west on an Ultim.

He had even surprised his own team with these plans at the time, but they were initially reassured by the fact that the skipper had probably announced these plans in a frenzy of emotion.

But that was not the case.

As so often before, Guirec Soudée took the dream seriously and turned it into reality with his team.

The day before Heilgabend Guirec Soudée had started his latest challenge with the Ultim-Maxi "Macsf".

The special feature of the current solo race is that Soudée is sailing westwards - against the prevailing winds, against the storms he encounters.

 

He breaks in 94 days 21h et 58mn with its multihull the previous record that Jean Luc "VDH" Van Den Heede set 22 years ago with an old monohull yacht (122 days 14 h)