The 9th sailing of the Vendee Globe Race is over. After 116 days at sea, Ari Huusela sailing Stark has crossed the finish line at Les Sables d’Olonne. While he was the last sailor to complete the race at 25th place, in terms of bragging rights, he is also the first Finnish sailor to finish the race.
In a larger sense, anyone who succeeds in completing the single-handed non-stop round-the-world race is indeed a winner. As Lydia Mullan writes in Sail Magazine, “In a race this difficult, making it to the finish is a victory in its own right. Though the last skipper to cross the line, Huusela will finish in 25th place of 33 and ahead of giants like Alex Thomson, Sam Davies, and Fabrice Amedeo who were unable to complete the course.”
Well, that’s the reverse of a photo finish…
a Finnish photo. [groan]
DLBF (Dead Last But Finished) is always honourable. Especially if you’re a Finn.
Tip of the hat to Richard. Good ‘un. 🙂