Will a female skipper ever win the Vendée Globe? In 10 editions of this epic contest, the closest anyone has come to it was Britain's Ellen MacArthur when finishing second in 2000-01, but since then no-one has come close and no one has made the podium.
In the build-up to the latest edition, there was much talk not so much about a female winner as much as a potential podium finisher, in the form of either Sam Davies of Britain or Justine Mettraux of Switzerland.
Davies in particular had all the experience, having been fourth – albeit 12 days behind the winner – in 2008-09. She had a current boat from the board of Sam Manuard, and her form in the most recent qualifying races made her a credible contender.
But in the race – her fourth and (we now know) last Vendée Globe – she was unable to live up to those expectations as she slipped out of the top-10 and ended up 13th. Mettraux, meanwhile, sailed a typically consistent race in her first attempt at the solo round the world classic in a second generation boat and finished eighth.
