First and foremost the Vendée Globe is a race. All competitors start the solo, non stop around the world contest with the objective of finishing as fast as is safely possible. For some that may mean sailing at a prudent pace, within their comfort zone, others push the risk reward ratio much further and press hard, close to the red line as much as possible. But often races are compromised by misfortune. Competition, that is the pursuit of a finishing position or elapsed time, has to be put aside in favour of the human endeavour of simply finishing the race. The Vendée Globe becomes an adventure more than a sailing race.
On March 16, 2001 the quaysides and coasts of Les Sables d'Olonne are swarming with thousands of people out to welcome a hero home. But Michel Desjoyeaux, the winner, arrived more than one month ago. The solo racer that the crowds have come out to see come home is Yves Parlier whose story remains one of the most remarkable in the Vendée Globe's long history.
