South African Kirsten Neuschaefer made history late on Thursday by becoming the first female mariner to win a solo round-the-world race as she crossed the line on the French coast after 235 gruelling days in the Golden Globe.
The 40-year-old, in her boat Minnehaha, conquered the three Capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn) and her 15 rivals without being allowed to stop off at other ports, permitted any help or equipped with modern navigation devices.
The challenging nature of the race was illustrated by the fact that only two other competitors are on course to officially finish the race.
India's Abhilash Tomy should arrive in the coming days while Michael Guggenberger of Austria is believed to be afloat round the Canary Islands.
British sailor Simon Curwen crossed the line first mid-afternoon on Thursday but he had lost his chance of being crowned the victor as he had stopped off at a Chilean port for repairs.
Women sailors have gone close before in winning a solo round-the-globe race -- British great Ellen MacArthur finished second in the 2001 Vendee Globe.
It was not all plain sailing for the redoubtable Neuschaefer with her battling through several heavy storms -- but the frown turned to a beaming smile as she absorbed what she had achieved.
"It is unbelievable, it is too much after all these months alone," she said after setting foot on terra firma and taking in the hordes of people who had lined the shore to come and shower her with accolades.
- 'A beautiful message' -
She might be proved wrong as at 40 she is considerably younger than the previous winner in 2019, Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, who is now 77.
Van Den Heede came to welcome home Neuschaefer, calling her a "great champion".
"It is a very tough race, there is no communication, we receive no encouragement," he said.
"One has to be mentally very strong and I think Kirsten definitely possesses that quality."
Neuschaefer had already rewritten the nautical history books by becoming on February 15 the first woman to pass Cape Horn leading a global yachting race.
Only a few weeks before she had courageously saved her Finnish opponent Tapio Lehtinen, who had sunk off South Africa.
The Port-Elizabeth-born yachtswoman has been a professional since 2006, specialising in the transfer and delivery of yachts by sea.
She has always had a spirit of adventure, telling AFP that aged 22 she had cycled across Europe to South Africa -- 15,000 kilometres (9,320 miles).
She was the only woman to compete in this edition and her achievement was hailed by fellow yachtswoman and Euro MEP Catherine Chabaud, the first female to sail round the world solo in the 1996-1997 Vendee Globe.
"It is just great," Chabaud said. "It is sublime for yachting and for women.
"Women who sail do not regard themselves as women sailors, but just as passionate individuals.
"It is a beautiful message."
The race was first launched in 1968-1969 with British legend Robin Knox-Johnston the only one of the nine sailors to finish, becoming at the same time the first man to navigate solo round the world.
His feat inspired the creation of the Vendee Globe race.
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© Agence France-Presse
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