Not all big-name sporting events have been crippled by the pandemic. The craziest of them all is in full swing, riveting a million fans around the world to their screens – me among them.The event is the Vendée Globe sailboat race. Sailing races are usually plodding affairs, not much fun unless you are actually on the boat in a duel to the finish line (I raced sailboats in my youth). This race is different – big time.The Vendée is a non-stop solo race around the world, covering about 44,000 kilometres in scary-fast boats. The rules are simple: You cannot seek help, and the moment you step on land you are disqualified. You can’t even pull up to another boat or ship for supplies or technical help. The skippers have to be navigators, mechanics, cooks, computer technicians, survival experts and medics – all at once.You are entirely on your own, although a dazzling array of technology connects you to your home team on dry land, who supply weather analysis, navigation and repair advice, as well as mental and spiritual counselling.The loneliness, the fatigue, the fear and the constant, terrible noise of the hull smashing into waves can be punishing.
Source: On the high seas, COVID-19 can’t slow down the world’s wildest sporting event – The Globe and Mail
