| Name |
Michel DESJOYEAUX |
| Date of Birth |
23939 |
| Where were you born? |
Concarneau, France |
| Age started sailing |
From my carrycot years |
| Age started racing |
18 |
| What inspired you to take up sailing? |
My family has been bitten by the sailuing bug |
| How did you buy your first boat? |
with my own money and and some of my brothers |
| Which was your first sailing club? |
S N Concarneau in France |
| First boat sailed? |
Too young to remember |
| First boat raced? |
5.5 Ji |
| First Event competed in? |
It was a sailing dinghy race |
| First Event won? |
25 Nautical miles of Concarneau |
| Principle achievements? |
Mini Transat in 1991 |
| Detail the personal highlights of your sailing career to date? |
La Solitare du Figaro in 1992 and 1998, Le Transat AG2R in 1992, The Whitbread in 1985 and 1986, and the Vendee Globe 2000-2001 |
| Future sailing aspirations? |
A 60 foot open Multihull called 'Geant' and the next Route du Rhum |
| Briefly state what sailing means to you? |
It means to enjoy myself with managing wind and seas |
| Who's had the greatest impact or inspiration in your sailing career and why? |
My father because he is meticulously thoughtful and he taught me not to let the grass grow under my feet and Philippe Poupon for his humility |
| Who do you consider to be your sailing hero if any? |
John Bertrand, because he won the America's Cup in 1987 |
| Profession? |
Professional Sailor |
| What other sports do you participate in outside of sailing? |
Sometimes I escort my sons to school by bike!! |
| Who do you consider to be the greatest sailor in the World and why? |
I can't tell. There are too many great sailors |
| Briefly state what being nominated for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award 2001 means to you? |
It means 'thankfulness for good piece of work' |
| If voted as the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2001, briefly say what will this mean to you? |
That will mean that my achievements are recognised by the world of sailing. |
The winner of the Vendée Globe and sailing hero of the French nation, Michel broke all previous records by becoming the first person to sail single-handed around-the-world in under 100 days, and the fastest by completing the race in 93 days, when his boat crossed the finish line at 1908 hours GMT on Saturday 10 February 2001 in Les Sables d'Olonne, France. In so doing, he beat the previous Vendée Record by 12 days, 33 minutes and 15 seconds.
