The Day Of The Jackal

Quietly Dedicated to His Craft, Armel Le Cléac’h Is Something of an Enigma, but the Vendée Win Revealed His Passion

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In his home country, Armel Le Cléac’h’s triumph in the Vendée Globe is seen as the right result. If ever hard work and persistence paid off in sport, this win is the perfect example. This was the 39-year-old Breton sailor’s third Vendée Globe. In 2009 he finished 2nd behind Michel Desjoyeaux in BritAir. Four years later, he pushed François Gabart to the finish and came barely three hours behind.

This time, he was the pre-race favourite, with a new boat built for him, one of the most professional shore teams in the business and well funded by a good sponsor. His was not the star-is-born victory of Gabart, a wunderkind who won on his first race. Le Cléac’h worked hard to earn it.