He wanted to take on this challenge: a circumnavigation of the globe from east to west, that is, "backwards," against the winds, currents, and raging elements. In 1999, his hull failed him; in 2001, he had to abandon the attempt due to a keel problem; in 2003, he lost his mast; on March 11, 2004, he arrived, smiling, in Les Sables-d'Olonne: he had won! Here, he recounts this extraordinary journey: 122 days alone on board, in Dantean survival conditions, facing endless crashing waves. He had to tack, make repairs, and remain constantly vigilant. The man cursed, the boat groaned.