Less than six months after breaking his leg in the Vendee Globe, Yann Elies is sailing again and is in excellent form.

The skipper of Generali, who intends to take part in this year’s Figaro single-handed event, showed what he was capable of by winning the Solo Port de France event – held in Concarneau, Brittany.

A few days before the start of the race, Yann had asked if he could take part with a double-handed crew – if the weather was bad – in order to ease himself back into the sport. In the end, it was not necessary.

Yann crossed the finish line on Sunday (10 May) and explained his win was largely down to his state of mind following the Vendee Globe: “I had already noticed when I went out sailing that I felt free, and could simply go out and enjoy myself again. This time, I was here because I really wanted to sail and didn’t feel any stress. Having been through so many things means that I can put things into perspective now. Losing one or two places due to a poor manoeuvre or unwise tactical choice, is no longer that dramatic. As a result, I felt completely liberated, and could focus entirely on enjoying myself sailing the boat as best I could.”