She is currently sailing in the North Atlantic, heading south.
In front of the bow of Romain Attanasio's IMOCA Pure - Best Western, there are still more than 43,000 kilometers to go through the three legendary capes (Bonne-Espérance, Leeuwin, Horn) before returning to Les Sables-d'Olonne.
Set off on Sunday afternoon at the same time as the 32 other competitors in the Vendée Globe 2020-2021, the skipper from Francières in the Oise is making his second round-the-world sailing trip (15th in 109 days in 2016-2017) solo , nonstop and unassisted.
Alone, of course, but not completely alone.
Firstly because Samantha Davies, his partner, also braves the waves on this 9th edition, thus making them the first couple to compete at the same time "Everest of the seas".
But also because his family is also living this extreme adventure, by proxy.
The emotions are very strong for the family
“I watched the start on TV on Sunday,” says Sophie Attanasio, the mother of the 43-year-old skipper.
When Samantha said hi on the screen, I stupidly waved to her.
I felt like she was talking to me.
I almost live the Vendée with them.
"
And like the winds that await sailors in the howling 40ths and roaring 50ths, the emotions run high for the family.
“This is the second time that Romain has done it,” continues Sophie Attanasio.
Each time, it's pride, but it's also anxiety, a lot of worry.
At night, I always tell myself
Did something happen?
In fact, I am delighted that he is at sea and, at the same time, I would like him to be there.
It's not very rational ... "
"Romain is the adventurer who made his dreams come true"
“We know that it is never without risk, assures Claire Attanasio, the youngest of the family, eight years younger than the navigator.
But I am a little less anxious.
I hope he will have a great adventure.
We're going to watch all his videos, we've all installed virtualregata to race with him.
"
Sidonie Attanasio, the younger sister of the skipper, with whom she is two years apart, also follows him "very, very closely" every day.
"There is a little anxiety, obviously, because going around the world is not nothing," she says.
With Samantha, they both have a great passion that they both live fully, it's great.
I am very proud of my brother.
"We admire him a lot at home, continues Claire Attanasio.
I have the image of a big super hero brother.
"Romain is the adventurer who made his dreams come true", continues Sidonie Attanasio.
Dreams that took shape in 1990. That year, the future navigator found himself in a boarding school in Chauny (Aisnes).
“He was not doing well at school,” recalls Sophie Attanasio.
I told him:
If you want to do sports studies, you have to get started because you will never be accepted with such a file.
So you're going to boarding school.
I put it there reluctantly, I felt like I was putting my son in a prison.
But he came out with a good newsletter and that was the start.
"
End of the world street
Blocked in Chauny, he indeed escapes morally.
Her mind was already turned to the open sea, while Florence Arthaud won the Route du Rhum that year.
“He was in love with her,” laughs Sidonie Attanasio.
"I went for a walk with suitcases marked Florence Arthaud," Sophie Attanasio says.
He put his name on it big when we went on trips.
"
Trips which, from a very young age, have shaped his taste for elsewhere according to the professional expatriations of Christian Attanasio, the surveyor engineer father, traveling to Benin on Sunday again at the start of the Vendée Globe.
Romain Attanasio was 7 years old when the family settled permanently in the Oise.
Even today, the address resonates like a monumental wink from fate: rue du bout du monde.
Romain lived there for ten years.
The world, today, it goes around.
Nonstop, without assistance.
Alone.
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“Romain, for me, is the little guy who grew up among his dreams,” emphasizes Sidonie Attanasio.
The adventurer who accomplished them.
It's beautiful.
Because at 10 years old we all have dreams, but very few people manage to make them come true when we are 40 ... "