Sodebo, official partner of the Vendée Globe gives a voice to its employees. Every week, discover one of Sodebo’s employees’ testament on how they feel about the race.

I am a Vendée Globe enthusiast! I have been interested in this race since the first edition in 1989.

These offshore adventurers who leave behind their loved ones and confront the elements to live their dreams, fascinate me!
I have in mind incredible names and stories: Titouan Lamazou winner of the first edition, Bertrand De Broc who after cutting his tongue, stitched it together all by himself, Christophe Auguin winner of the 1996-1997 edition, Yves Parlier (the Vendée Globe Robinson Crusoe) who stayed moored for 12 days off a desert island to repair his mast, Michel Desjoyeaux who’s won the race twice… and I could go on!
I remember what everyone was thinking at the start of the first edition: “These men are crazy, they’re fighting a losing battle…”
Today, the sporting and human feat is still extremely difficult but the skippers have changed. They are business men. With their teams they manage the technical, commercial and communications side of things. The boats have become more and more sophisticated, it has now become a technical race.

Finally, it is quite a life lesson for what we live and experience on a daily basis, our comfort, our little worries… It helps to put things in perspective!

Colette, in charge of the accounting department

Source: Vendee Globe