DELMA Ambassador Oliver Heer finishes The Transat CIC keeping dreams of Vendée Globe participation alive
In a display of extraordinary resilience, Swiss skipper Oliver Heer has triumphantly clawed his way across the finish line of The Transat CIC race, keeping his dream of participation in the Vendée Globe 2024 alive.
Crossing the finish line at 00:19 (Central European Time) on Friday 17th May, Ollie finally completed the solo transatlantic race in 18 days, 10 hours, 49 minutes and 32 seconds. Ollie's triumph is a demonstration of resilience and tenacity, pushing both performance and human endurance boundaries to their limit.
PunishingThe Transat CIC, notorious for its punishing course and unforgiving weather, proved true to its reputation for Ollie. After a promising start, disaster struck on day six. A catastrophic autopilot failure triggered an uncontrolled gybe in heavy seas. Ollie's boat was slammed upside down, and pinned down by waves, leaving him with minor injuries and his vessel in disarray. Sails were damaged and electrical systems were fried, leaving Heer unable to use his navigation and communication systems, without an autopilot or water-maker.
When the wind finally returned, it was a ferocious 30-40 knots. Without sun to power the autopilot Ollie was forced to hand-steer through the days and nights. Unable to sleep or eat, Ollie was close to exhaustion, his physical and mental reserves pushed to the limit.
Finishing"This wasn't a race in the end," Ollie reflected, "It was a battle, a fight to get both myself and my boat to the finish line safely. But more than that, it was a valiant effort to secure my position in the Vendée Globe, which is my ultimate goal. Finishing The Transat CIC to log the miles for the Vendée Globe selection is a crucial step towards that.”
DELMA congratulates Ollie on his perseverance and wishes him continued success in his pursuits. Explore the DELMA Oceanmaster worn by Ollie as he faced the Atlantic ocean and successfully completed the Transat CIC.
