Women of the Vendée Globe: Sam Davies & Marie-Amélie Lenaerts on Grit, Fear, and Big Ocean Ambitions

In this powerful and inspiring episode of The Sailing Show hosted by Abby Ehler, solo ocean racers Sam Davies and Marie-Amélie Lenaerts share the behind-the-scenes story of preparing for an attempt at the Vendée Globe, the world’s toughest non-stop, solo, around-the-world sailing race. Abby dives deep into the emotional, physical, and technical challenges these exceptional sailors face as they push the limits of human performance and offshore endurance. From navigating IMOCA performance upgrades and weather routing strategy to managing fear, fatigue, and the extreme isolation of the Southern Ocean, Sam and Marie-Amélie open up about their motivations, setbacks, and the resilience required to take on the Vendée Globe for the first time. This episode offers a rare look into the mindset of two determined sailors aiming to conquer one of sport’s greatest challenges. Perfect for fans of offshore racing, women in sailing, and anyone inspired by stories of courage and adventure, this conversation shines a spotlight on passion, perseverance, and the relentless pursuit of a dream.

Abby’s first guest, Sam Davies, will, later this year, start her third attempt in the Vendee Globe having had a narrow miss of a podium finish in 2008/9 race, and dis-masted in the 2012/13 edition of the race, so could 2020 be her race? To make a donation towards Sam’s charity, Initiatives Coeur, please click the like button on the Facebook page.
Abby's second guest is Marie-Amelie Lenarts who has recently completed in her first Mini Transat, a single-handed race across the Atlantic in a 6.5m boat, becoming the first Belgium women to compete in a race across the Atlantic.

The Sailing Show is part of the Women Unscripted podcast network (formerly WiSP Sports) founded in 2012 by Chris Stafford, which has more than 1750 episodes from around the world of women’s sport and the arts. We have covered every sport and all the issues around women in sport. We have interviewed hundreds of athletes and several of them have hosted our shows over the years. Subscribe and download Women Unscripted for free access to our extensive archive library.
Email: wispsports@gmail.com. Follow @chrisstaffordpodcasts on Instagram.

Thanks to our sponsor Hyland's Homeopathic Earache Drops.

Keywords:
Vendée Globe, Sam Davies, Marie-Amélie Lenaerts, IMOCA, offshore sailing, solo ocean racing, Abby Ehler, The Sailing Show, women in sailing, sailing podcast, around-the-world race, Southern Ocean, endurance sailing, professional sailors, adventure sports, offshore racing stories, sailing inspiration.