I love sailing single-handed. Taking water over the bow, bucking up against waves, sliding down the back. For an afternoon. Followed by a hot shower. But yesterday 33 solo sailors - six of them women - headed out for the eight running of the Vendee globe, a French obsession. The rules are simple:
Leave Les Sables d'Olonne, heading south.
Keep Africa's Cape of Good Hope to port.
Keep western Australia's Cape Leeuwin to port.
Keep Antarctica to starboard.
Keep South America's Cape Horn to port.
Return to Les Sables d'Olonne, heading north.
Alone. Nonstop. No help allowed.
