Vann Kermadec (Francois Cluzet) gets the chance of a lifetime when he is unexpectedly given the opportunity race in the gruelling, non-stop, solo round-the world yacht race, the Vendee Globe.

Facing the rough open sea and fierce competition, Vann battles to the lead, but when near disaster forces him out of the race for repairs, he encounters a whole new set of problems upon his re-entry. With the race on the line, the horizon growing stormy and his home life in France, becoming increasingly stressed and distant, Yann is forced to consider everything he knows about life relationships and the lure of the open sea.