Les Sables-d'Olonne (France) (AFP)

For having saved (Jean Le Cam) and helped with the research (Yannick Bestaven and Boris Herrmann) during the sinking of Kevin Escoffier, three Vendée Globe skippers received hourly compensation which will be applied after their arrival.

The bonus can offer victory to two of them, without having to cross the line first.

The three sailors are in the Top 10 of the fleet, and two of them, Herrmann and Bestaven are even in the group of the top five, all of whom are held in a pocket square.

The arrival at Les Sables d'Olonne will be played out within a few short hours, so the hourly compensation will weigh heavily in the balance.

Bestaven (Maître Coq IV) had ten hours and fifteen minutes and the German Herrmann (Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco) had six hours.

The Cam (Yes We Cam!), Which received sixteen hours and 15 minutes, is too far away to play the victory.

But he could end up on the podium, crossing the line in ninth position.

We will therefore have to wait until Jean Le Cam has arrived at Les Sables d'Olonne to find the podium of the ninth edition of the Vendée Globe.

The winner will be known once Herrmann and Bestaven have completed their solo round the world trip.

The three sailors diverted on November 30 to rescue Escoffier (PRB), who took refuge in a life raft after his boat broke in two.

The Cam is the one who found Escoffier, whom he welcomed aboard his monohull for a week before a French Navy frigate came to retrieve him off the Kerguelen Islands.

Bestaven and Herrmann had diverted themselves to help with the research before resuming their journey.

The international jury for the Vendée Globe 2020, chaired by Georges Priol, rendered its decisions on December 16, taking into account several parameters (the weather, the psychological impact, etc.).

"The jury will not go back on what was determined by the international jury, which is a final jury, they gave time compensations a month ago now. The jury will apply the time as it was given to the three boats ", insisted to AFP, the race director Jacques Caraës.

This is not the first time that the Vendée Globe has applied hourly compensation.

During the 2008/2009 edition, Marc Guillemot and the Englishwoman Samantha Davies had diverted to help Yann Eliès, victim of a fractured femur on board his boat.

Guillemot had provided decisive psychological support to Eliès while awaiting the arrival of Australian help.

Sam Davies got confused but couldn't reach Eliès and his boat before help arrived.

Guillemot had received 82 hours of compensation and Samantha Davies, 32 hours.

And for 80 minutes, Davies was dispossessed of third place in favor of Guillemot.

The edition was won by Michel Desjoyeaux in 84 days.

© 2021 AFP