A Sailor’s Global Race With Parkinson’s Inspires First Bay Area Regatta

When Parkinson’s disease left Bertrand Delhom with tremors, uncertainty, and a uncertain future, he wondered if he should end his life. That millions of people around the world share the diagnosis with him was of no comfort.

But before the disease could steal the ease of everyday movement and speech, Delhom set out to reclaim something bigger — a lifelong dream to sail through some of the harshest seas on the planet in one of the world's most punishing races.

In 2024, he became the first sailor with Parkinson's to have completed the Ocean Globe Race, a brutal circumnavigation that pushes even elite sailors to their limits, let alone one with Parkinson's.

But Delhom’s eight-month Ocean Globe experience became a turning point, reshaping his health, mindset, and relationships with his family at the darkest time in his life.

Stories like Delhom's are why researchers are looking more closely at how sailing, and more broadly water, could affect the quality of life for people with Parkinson's. Witnessing his journey from depression to becoming a source of inspiration motivated Amy Bridge, a Sebastopol resident, to launch Neptune Project U.S. with a team of Bay Area sailors, volunteers, and Parkinson's advocates.

"We're putting sailing-as-therapy under a microscope as a form of therapy," Bridge said.

To help support research and develop more sailing programs, Bridge helped organize the first Bay Area charity regatta to be hosted on World Parkinson's Day in April at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon. The two-day event starts with a "Fête de la Baie" black tie gala and silent auction, followed by the Sailing4Parkinsons Cup, including a dockside celebration. The Modern Sailing School and Club, located in Berkeley and Sausalito, is an ambassador. The regatta benefits the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research and the Parkinson's Association of Northern California.

More than 10 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with Parkinson's, and the number is projected to more than double by 2050. In the United States, Parkinson's is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's. Despite the numbers, it is considered a relatively new disease, and researchers are still at the starting line trying to determine its cause.

In the meantime, exercise is emerging as an important factor in improving the lives of people with Parkinson's. The earlier people get into active pursuits, the more they can support their bodies against the loss of motor function, according to the Parkinson's Foundation.

The research, like the disease, is so new that it's not clear exactly how and why exercise plays a role.
Even less is known about the role of sailing on symptoms.

Adaptive sailing, in contrast, has been making sailing more physically accessible for decades.
In 2025, former soldier Craig Wood became the first triple amputee to sail solo, non-stop, and unsupported across the Pacific Ocean, a 7,506 nautical mile journey. Quadriplegic sailors have been setting sailing records for a decade.

However, Parkinson's attacks the nervous system. People with Parkinson’s disease have difficulty walking, talking, completing other simple tasks, and fine-motor skills, according to the U.S. National Institute of Health. With the physical symptoms come mental and emotional stress, including depression or anxiety even before the onset of movement issues, according to the NIH.

The mental burden can be the most difficult for the patient and family.

Craig Dahl, a 71-year-old Bay Area sailor, said being diagnosed with Parkinson's was a shock. "The idea of having a condition that could limit my mobility, or independence, was difficult to accept," he said. Being on the water again, surrounded by people who understand his condition and who are focused on something positive, was incredibly therapeutic, he said.

The Neptune Project and the Sailing4Parkinsons Cup are a testing ground for creating an event involving yacht clubs, a cohort of medical professionals from UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, UC Davis, Kaiser, and Stanford University and hundreds of participants, including those with Parkinson's. Many, may be stepping on a sailboat for the first time.

The focus is on being as much fun as possible, raising awareness of Parkinson's Disease, and helping show people that their lives don't have to shut down, Kevin Roesler, staff commodore of the Corinthian Yacht Club in Tiburon, said. But, he added, "if they get the sailing bug, then that would be great."

Participation is open to everyone, from the experienced sailor to the novice, Bridge said. Supporters can also participate by sponsoring or joining a team, making a donation, or just showing up. "Every gesture matters," she added.