Clarisse hopes to inspire others

Vendée Globe sailor Clarisse Crémer has said she hopes to inspire other female sailors to follow in her wake.

Crémer, one of Musto’s ‘ambassadors’ in the race, also said she had forgotten about Ellen MacArthur’s round the world record until her team reminded her a few days before the finish.

The Frenchwoman, 31, broke MacArthur’s 20-year-old record for the fastest time by a woman sailing solo and non-stop around the world in a monohull, when she finished the Vendée Globe in 87 days on 3 February.

MacArthur’s time was 94 days, on Kingfisher in the 2000/2001 edition of the race.

Crémer was one of six women to do the 2020/21 edition and finished 12th overall on her boat Banque Populaire X.

Reflecting on the race, with the benefit of three months ashore, she said: “Ellen MacArthur achieved so much in such a short career. She was truly incredible. But when I did the Vendée Globe I was not thinking about her record, because I was pretty sure other sailors were going to arrive before me.

“It was quite a surprise a few days before my arrival to have my team tell me I was going to break her record.