Vendée Globe: "Nothing is impossible" - Jingkun Xu celebrated at the finish line

Exhausted, fulfilled, deeply happy: Jingkun Xu reached the finish line of the 10th Vendée Globe on 18 February. After 99 days, 19 hours and 6 minutes at sea, the Chinese skipper crossed the line off Les Sables-d'Olonne. "I've put in 18 years of work to get here. More than 6000 days and nights to prepare. Turning what many thought was madness into reality is now an indescribable feeling."

Historic new chapter for the Vendée Globe

In Port Olona, Jingkun Xu repeatedly jumped into the air on the foredeck of his orange-coloured 18-year-old Imoca "Singchain - Team Haikou", raising his right fist into the sky above Les Sables-d'Olonne. He has captivated a growing audience of millions in his home country and beyond with his solo around the world.

His pictures sent from the sea were among the most beautiful, his emotional reports were inspiring. Crossing the finish line added a historic chapter to the history of the Vendée Globe: never before had a Chinese sailor taken part in the most difficult test of sailing. Jingkun Xu mastered the challenge.

He arrived back where it all began in thirtieth place the morning after Oliver Heer crossed the finish line. He set another example for the internationalisation of ocean racing and also became an extraordinary symbol for the diversity of the skippers of the Vendée Globe, who came from eleven nations for the tenth edition.

The boy from the mountains of the eastern Chinese province of Shandong, who saw the sea for the first time at the age of twelve, has worked his way up to mastering the most extreme challenges in sailing under his own steam. He started out in France like so many young and hungry sea-stormers, lived in a bus with his wife and got going.

Jingkun Xu sailed the second shortest course of all

The fact that he lost his left hand in a firework explosion as a young boy has never stopped Jingkun Xu in his persistent endeavours. His life motto "Nothing is impossible" has always made him strong. The successful and well-known sailing instructor in China is a self-made circumnavigator.

With an aged boat and 30th place, he may not have reached the top on his first attempt, but that wasn't his mission either. However, a closer look at the Chinese athlete's data from his Vendée Globe performance reveals something remarkable.

Although Jingkun Xu's average speed of 11.53 knots was almost six and a half knots behind the fastest Vendée Globe skipper on average, Yoann Richomme, the Chinese skipper sailed the second shortest course over ground of all the skippers who have finished so far! With just 27,616 nautical miles, he was more effective than Vendée Globe winner Charlie Dalin, who completed his solo after 27,668 nautical miles over ground. Only Antoine Cornic's course was even shorter at 27,203 miles.

Opulent visual worlds by Jingkun Xu

From the very first days, Jingkun Xu also had to face the tough side of the race: a sore ankle off Cape Finisterre, a sore shoulder right to the end and tricky repairs on his own. Many days brought him tough battles - with himself, the boat and the elements.

But he persevered and always knew how to celebrate the Vendée Globe in his own way. He spoke of his gratitude for being able to be at sea and in this race even when he was thrown around like a tennis ball in the washing machine in the storm and his body was covered in bruises.

With his passion, Jingkun Xu took fans around the world, sharing his joy at the play of dolphins, fantastic sunsets or the simple happiness of being at sea. He also had to deal with technical problems time and again. Whether it was an electronic defect, a spinnaker that crashed into the water, dangerous mast actions or the demanding repair of his hook - Jingkun Xu mastered all the challenges thrown at him right to the finish.

The human highlights of his extraordinary journey around the world will also be remembered in Chinese cheers on the dock at Port Olona this Tuesday: his very personal Chinese New Year celebration on board, ravioli for the Year of the Snake, the self-fabricated haircut to mark a new beginning and many more Xu moments.

The universe as an "extra force" at the Vendée Globe

With his one-handed solo, Jingkun Xu has carried a strong message around the world. He often likes to quote Paulo Coelho: "If you want something, the universe will work towards you achieving it." With his story, the first Chinese Vendée Globe graduate has put a big exclamation mark behind this assumption.

He has more than achieved his own goal of inspiring young people in his home country and elsewhere to dream XL and realise their dreams. Jingkun Xu's story is that of a man who has never stopped believing in the seemingly impossible. In the words of one of his millions of fans: "Bravo, Jingkun! That was a brave and very emotional race!"

His book "Modest Dreamer", published in 2021, had already shed light on the extraordinary story of the boy with a disability from a small Chinese mountain village and inspired young people in his home country in particular. It will be interesting to see how his journey continues. And here is the race trackerManuel Cousin, Fabrice Amedeo and Denis Van Weynberg are still three Vendée Globe skippers at sea.

REPLAY! Click here for the broadcast of Jingkun Xu's jubilant arrival in Les Sables-d'Olonne: