Isabelle Joschke on the Vendée Globe: "After that, you know who you are"

The German sailor finished the Vendée Globe in eleventh place - a great success for her. In an interview, she talks about the toughest moments at sea, the lessons she learned and what she is planning for the future.

Isabelle Joschke is a German sailor who competed in the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe, a single-handed, non-stop round-the-world yacht race. She finished the race in 11th place, becoming the first German woman to complete the Vendée Globe.

Isabelle Joschke has always dreamed of sailing around the world. As a child, she would spend hours reading books about famous sailors and imagining herself in their shoes. When she was 16, she finally got her chance to sail on a tall ship. From that moment on, she was hooked.

In 2020, Joschke made her dream a reality when she competed in the Vendée Globe. The race is one of the most challenging in the world, and Joschke knew that it would be a test of her limits. But she was determined to finish, and she pushed herself through some of the toughest conditions imaginable.

"There were times when I was so tired that I could barely stand up," Joschke said. "But I kept telling myself that I could do it. I had to finish." And finish she did. Joschke crossed the finish line in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France, on March 4, 2021, after 94 days at sea. She was greeted by a cheering crowd and her family and friends.

"It was an incredible feeling," Joschke said. "I had finally achieved my dream. I had sailed around the world." But Joschke's journey was not without its challenges. She faced strong winds, high waves, and even a collision with a whale. But she never gave up. She learned to rely on her instincts and to never underestimate the power of the human spirit.

"The Vendée Globe was the hardest thing I have ever done," Joschke said. "But it was also the most rewarding. I learned so much about myself and about what I am capable of. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to compete in this race."