Frenchman wins round-the-world yacht race despite rescuing rival

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A French sailor has claimed victory in the ninth edition of the Vendée Globe round-the-world solo yacht race.

Yannick Bestaven, 48, took home the title onboard the Maitre Coq IV yacht – despite being the third to cross the finishing line.

"I feel like I'm living a dream, hallucinating. It feels weird. We go from total solitude to this, this party, these lights, these people who are there despite the complicated context. It's a joy, I don't realize yet what's going on. I'm still in my race, even though it's over. It's a child's dream come true," Bestaven said.

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Yannick Bestaven, 48, was awarded a time bonus for helping to rescue a fellow competitor who had crashed. /AFP

Fellow Frenchman Charlie Dalin was the first to finish to the race in a time of 80 days, six hours, 15 minutes and 47 seconds, but Bestaven clinched victory because of a time bonus he received for helping to rescue a fellow competitor.

Bestaven was one of four yachtsmen to come to Kevin Escoffier's help, after his boat was snapped in two by a giant wave off the Cape of Good Hope.

"It's a beautiful sailor's story. Charlie crossed the line first and I won thanks to the compensated time. It's not a bonus, it's really a compensation because when we went to pick up Kevin, when the race director called me, I turned around, I went upwind, there were 6-meter waves, the sea was rough, we spent a whole night on deck," he added.

Thirty-three competitors started the race on November 8, but eight were forced to withdraw, leaving a total of 25 who managed to cross the finishing line after months at sea.

Video editor: Nuri Moseinco