Thomas Ruyant: “The most beautiful victory”

Breathless, exhausted, and emotional, Thomas Ruyant rocked the pontoon in front of the Macte in Point-à-Pitre. The LinkedOut skipper recounts his committed race, his immense desire to win, and his love for the sport of ocean racing.

“ I think it’s the greatest victory! It’s special because of the commitment we all put in, me first and foremost. I’m having trouble finding the words because I’m really, really knackered. I haven’t slept much in the last 36 hours, and the weather meant that getting to the front wasn’t easy. I’m happy to be in front… I’m moved because this Route du Rhum is a monument to ocean racing and sport in general. There were 38 boats at the start with some great sailors. I’m a competitor, and I really wanted to win this one. I really wanted to. It was also because it was the last one with this boat, and to thank my loyal team. It’s a real team sport, I scored the goal, but there were people behind me. My words are muddled because I’m very tired. It was intense, dense.” I really liked the second part of the race, more suited to my way of sailing, more suited to my boat too. "

A second part of the magical race

" I took on Charlie with desire and commitment, even though I know he's putting a lot of effort into it too. I didn't make any mistakes on my trajectories. There was an overall strategy, but also a lot of cloud activity in these trade winds with lots of squalls. We had to use it, which I managed to do well. It took inspiration and luck. You also need luck, but you have to provoke it. This second part of the race was like a dream, it was magical. When I passed Charlie, I felt that he was putting on a big layer, and so I put on an even bigger one. Honestly, I'm happy to have finished because that's not a pace you can maintain in a Vendée Globe; it's a real sprint. "

A hell of a boat

" I don't think I've ever been so tired at the finish of a race. On the round of Guadeloupe, I was wobbling, I couldn't stand on my legs anymore. What's beautiful in this sport is that it's a whole: a well-prepared boat, strategy, physicality, mentality... That's what drives me in this sport, the more I do it, the more I want to do it, I don't want to stop there .

It's a boat I've sailed a lot of miles on, a round-the-world trip, a victory with Morgan Lagravière in the Transat Jacques Vabre, and this is the crowning achievement. I don't know if I want to pass it on to someone else. It's a hell of a boat. "