Violette Dorange made history on Sunday, becoming the youngest skipper to complete the Vendée Globe solo round-the-world yacht race. The 23-year-old finished the race in 90 days and broke a record set in 2016 by the previous youngest-ever finisher.
Dorange completed the race in 25th place after 90 days, 22 hours and 37 minutes at sea and beat the record set in 2016 by the previous youngest-ever finisher Alan Roura, who had completed the 2016-17 race after 105 days.
"Her accomplishment comes some 24 years after the second place of the legendary British sailor Ellen MacArthur, then aged 24, who completed her race in 94 days, four hours and 25 minutes," the Vendée Globe said in a statement.
The Frenchwoman was ranked 14th in the 2024 IMOCA championship, a series of elite offshore races featuring cutting-edge 60-foot yachts.
"An exceptional performance, carried out with sang froid and maturity," the Vendée Globe wrote in a social media post.
The race, held every four years, was won by French sailor Charlie Dalin on 14 January. His time of 64 days, 19 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds beat the record set by Armel Le Cleac'h in 2017 by more than nine days.
(with newswires)
