Whether you’re a cruiser or a racer, or both, you have to appreciate the Vendee Globe. The Vendee (pronounced “Vonday”) is often referred to as sailing’s Mount Everest and for good reason. A non-stop single-handed race around the planet via the inhospitable Southern Ocean in foiling 60-foot carbon racing boats is not only challenging, it, like Everest, is death defying. At this point the lead sailors are half way round and there are plenty of amazing stories to catch up on.