The 2022 Golden Globe Race, the \u2018retro\u2019 race inspired by the first non-stop solo around the world race in 1968, set off for its second modern-day running today.220426 – Lorient – Entrainement pour la Golden Globe Race 2022, skipper : Damien Guillou \u00a9Yann Riou – polaRYSE \/ PRBSixteen sailors \u2013 15 men, and one woman \u2013 started from Les Sables d\u2019Olonne today, on the 2022 Golden Globe Race, the \u2018retro\u2019 non-stop solo circumnavigation that is expected to take up to 9 months.
\nThe Golden Globe Race, which eschews modern technology, sees the skippers competing on \u2018vintage\u2019 production yachts, with no regular access to modern communication or navigation systems, making it one of the most isolated sporting events in the world.
\nThe 16-boat Golden Globe Race fleet leave Les Sables d\u2019Olonne
\nTough start for 2022 Golden Globe Race
\nThe fleet departed western France today in sun and light winds, however, a north Atlantic low is soon expected to bring stronger headwinds.
\nMeteorologist Christian Dumard explains: \u201cAfter a start in good conditions, the depression located to the west of the Celtic Sea will bring sustained winds from the south-west. It will be followed at the end of next week by the remnants of Cyclone Danielle, which formed in the middle of the Atlantic. It is therefore in a dominant south-west to west flow that the competitors will sail to Cape Finisterre, then probably to the latitude of Lisbon. A sea state will build with waves that could reach 4 meters. Skippers hopefully will then be able to hook into the Portuguese trade winds, these famous northerlies, which will allow them to sail downwind towards the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Archipelago.\u201d
\nA split is expected to form in the fleet, with those confident to push themselves and their yachts in the opening days expected to head west for stronger breezes, while those seeking milder but more\u00a0uncertain weather are likely to hug the Spanish coast.
\nThe famous canal of Les Sables d\u2019Olonne lined with crowds to see the fleet off
\nGolden Globe Race returners
\nThe entry list is varied, with a wide range of nationalities, motives and sailing experience across the fleet.\u00a0
\nIt includes four returning skippers. Finnish skipper Tapio Lehtinen is the only sailor to have completed the Golden Globe Race in 2018\/19 who is entering for a second time. He finished as the 5th and final entrant to complete the course non-stop, despite extensive barnacle growth slowing his progress to a crawl. He returns with the same yacht, but a \u2013 hopefully \u2013 greatly improved antifoul protection.
\nAustralian Mark Sinclair, known as \u2018Captain Coconut\u2019 also returns. Sinclair completed his circumnavigation after initially putting into Adelaide in 2018, then restarting in order to enter the 2022 race. He endured severe weatehr on the return leg both rounding Cape Horn, and crossing Biscay, and was in a race against time to prepare his Lello 34 to be ready for his second race start.
\nErtan Beskardes is another returner, having set off in 2018 but retired early feeling unprepared. While Indian sailor Abhilash Tomy is one of the most famous skippers in the fleet, having been dramatically rescued after being knocked down, dismasted, and badly injured in the 2018 race. After undergoing spinal surgery, he\u2019s re-entered with a Rustler 36.
\nTapio Lehtinen\u2019s S&S designed Gaia 36 is the oldest yacht in the race. Photo: Ocean Frontiers OGR\/ GGR\/CG580
\nRetro yacht choices
\nRustler 36s dominated the last race, with the first four finishers all the British classic design. This year four more Rustlers will be competing, including one of the likely favourites, Damien Gillou\u2019s PRB. Gillou is a well known ocean racer and boat captain who has meticulously prepared many IMOCA 60s and grand prix race boats, and his PRB is a stunning example of how to bring a production cruising yacht up to racing specification.
\nOther highly fancied entrants include Simon Curwen, a British sailor who partly lives in France, and also holds the record for the best Mini Transat result scored by a British solo sailor when he finished 2nd in 2001 to none other than Yannick Bestaven, the winner of the most recent Vend\u00e9e Globe.
\nKirsten Neusch\u00e4fer is the sole female skipper in this year\u2019s race and was the skipper many of her competitors named as looking fast on the water in her Cape George 36 cutter. Neusch\u00e4fer has worked with Skip Novak on expedition sails, so is well versed in both sailing in, and preparing a yacht for, the Southern Ocean.
\nAmerican skipper Elliott Smith is the youngest entrant in the Golden Globe Race
\nEvery skipper has a unique story to tell. Pat Lawless is following in his father\u2019s footsteps, after he was the first Irishman to sail solo around the world, aged 70. Guy Waites is returning to solo racing, having competed in the Jester Challenge in a Contessa 26 10 years ago, then taking part in two Clipper Round the World Races, as first mate and skipper. American sailor Guy de Boer campaigned in Olympic classes, but has yet to cross an ocean solo, while his\u00a0 compatriot Elliot Smith is the youngest entrant, aged 27.
\nUpdates for 2022 Golden Globe Race
\nFor the second running of the race there have been some significant changes. The start date has moved from early July to September, in order to ensure the fleet do not arrive in the south in mid-winter, and also that those that make the return passage across Biscay avoid the European winter storms.
\nThere are also more compulsory marks of the course \u2013 including rounding the Brazilian island of Trinidade to port, and \u2018film drop\u2019 gates at the Canary Islands, Cape Town, Tasmania, and Punta del Este \u2013 which remove many of the tactical choices of the race.
\nSome skippers voiced concerns the the new route could make it something of a drag race, others that navigating closer to shore \u2013 and shipping \u2013 for the film drop gates by sextant without GPS or chart plotters could potentially be dangerous. However, organisers will be keen to avoid a repeat of 2018 which saw four boats abandoned during challenging rescues.
\nThere have also been changes to the technology allowed \u2013 which this year includes weather fax. However, skippers\u2019\u00a0only means of communication is via\u00a0HF Single Side Band (SSB) Radio. They may monitor HAM radio, but are not allowed to transmit (an effort to avoid sone of the controversy of the last race). They may hail fellow competitors or other vessels for information, but otherwise are limited to what they can deduce from sextants, barometers, and weather fax.
\nDamien Guillou, Simon Curwen and Kirsten Neusch\u00e4fer took the early lead \u2013 you can follow the fleet at goldenglobe.com
\nWe\u2019ll be running regular updates on the fleet\u2019s progress, while our sister title Yachting Monthly has skipper profiles of every entrant.
\n\u00a0
\nThe post Golden Globe Race starts: 16 sailors prepare for 9 month isolation appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The 2022 Golden Globe Race, the \u2018retro\u2019 race inspired by the first non-stop solo around the world race in 1968, set off for its second modern-day running today.220426 – Lorient – Entrainement pour la Golden Globe Race 2022, skipper : … <\/p>\n