Karen Leibovici’s finish at 20 hours 04 minutes and 20 seconds GMT yesterday marked the end of the 2004/5 edition of the Vendee Globe. Sailing her Open 60 Benefic, Leibovici took 13th place overall to become the fourth woman in history to complete the Vendee Globe after Catherine Chabaud, Ellen MacArthur and Anne Liardet.

Chatting after she came ashore following 126 days at sea, Leibovici said: “It’s magic. I haven’t taken it on board yet. It was all so tough, but I’ve already put the bad moments behind me and will only remember the good bits, the start of course, but also rounding the Horn, which is something I’d dreamed of since I was a child and then this crazy finish.

“I probably wasn’t really prepared for this experience. I believe you have to get yourself psyched up before setting off alone around the world like this. I’ll know better next time. I never ever thought of quitting. Others thought about it for me, when I had my energy problems, and I told them there was no way I was going to do that. I just had to bring the boat home, and do whatever it took.”

Despite her late arrival, a large crowd flocked into Les Sables d’Olonne to celebrate Leibovici’s arrival including many other skippers: Raphaël Dinelli and Benoit Parnaudeau, who only recently arrived themselves, but also Jean Pierre Dick and some from previous races, including Isabelle Autissier, Catherine Chabaud, Jean-Luc van den Heede and Alain Gautier.

Overall Results

1st Vincent Riou (PRB) finished on Wednesday 2 February 2005 at 22hr 49mn 55sec

2nd Jean Le Cam (Bonduelle) finished on Thursday 3 February 2005 at 05hr 22mn 08sec

3rd Mike Golding finished on Friday 4 February 2005 at 03 hr 17 minutes 13 sec

4th Dominique Wavre finished on Tuesday 8 February at 05 hr 15 minutes 20 sec

5th Sébastien Josse finished on Tuesday 8 February at 12 hr 04 minutes 10 sec

6th Jean Pierre Dick finished on Sunday 13 February at 15 hr 51 minutes 38 sec

7th Conrad Humphreys finished on Sunday 20 February at 02 hr 34 minutes 24 sec

8th Joé Seeten finished on Sunday 20 February at 11 hr 04 minutes 45 sec

9th Bruce Schwab finished on Friday 25 February at 08 hr 00 minutes 57 sec

10th Benoît Parnaudeau finished on Thursday 3 March at 13 hr 08 minutes 54 sec

11th Anne Liardet finished on Sunday 6th March at 17 hr 30 minutes 40 sec

12th Raphael Dinelli finished on Saturday 12th March at 16 hr 09 minutes 14 sec

13th Leibovici’s finished on Sunday 13th March at 126 days 08 hours 02 minutes 20 seconds — delay behind winner: 38 days 21 hours and 14 minutes and 25 seconds