2018 Golden Globe Race

2018 Golden Globe Race

Edition	2nd
Venue	Les Sables-d'Olonne
Dates	1 July 2018 – Summer 2019
Competitors	22
Yachts	'Retro' fibreglass 32-36ft
← 1968

The 2018 Golden Globe Race is a sailing race around the world which started on 1 July 2018 from Les Sables-d'Olonne, France. The race started fifty years after the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race and features yachts similar to those used at that time, with no modern technology allowed.^[1][2]

Retro sailing

Entrants are limited to sailing similar yachts and equipment to what was available to Sir Robin Knox-Johnston in the original race in 1968–69. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite based navigation aids.^[1] Competitors could apply to have their class of boat approved, providing it was in accordance with the following rules:^[3]

• Of fibre reinforced plastic construction.
• Designed prior to 1988 and have a minimum series of 20 yachts built from one mould.
• Have a hull length of between 32ft and 36ft. Bowsprits, wind vanes and outboard rudders, boomkins, pushpits and pulpits are not measured.
• Have full-length keels with rudders attached to the trailing edge.
• A minimum design displacement is 6,200kg.

Twenty-two classes were approved, with one exception to the rules made for a wood-epoxy Suhaili replica.^[4]

Route

The route of the Golden Globe Race

The race started on 1 July 2018 in Les Sables-d'Olonne and will lead around the world eastward, leaving Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn to port. There will be several "film gates" along the route, where the skippers can be interviewed as they sail past without stopping and where they can pass over films and letters.^[5]

Entrants

There are 18 entrants from 13 different countries who entered the race. Of those, six have chosen the class compliant but relatively modern Rustler 36. A further 17 had expressed interest but subsequently retired.^[6]

Sailor	Yacht	Type
Abhilash Tomy	Thuriya	Suhaili replica
Antoine Cousot	Métier Intérim	Biscay 36
Are Wiig	Olleanna	OE 32
Ertan Beskardes	Lazy Otter	Rustler 36
Francesco Cappelletti	007	Endurance 35
Gregor McGuckin	Hanley Energy Endurance	Biscay 36
Igor Zaretskiy	Esmeralda	Endurance 35
Istvan Kopar	Puffin	Tradewind 35
Jean-Luc Van Den Heede	Matmut	Rustler 36
Kevin Farebrother	Sagarmatha	Tradewind 35
Loïc Lepage	Laaland	Nicholson 32
Mark John Sinclair	Coconut	Lello 34
Mark Slats	Ohpen Maverick	Rustler 36
Nabil Amra	Liberty II	Biscay 36
Philippe Péché	PRB	Rustler 36
Susie Goodall	DHL Starlight	Rustler 36
Tapio Lehtinen	Asteria	Benello Gaia 36
Uku Randmaa	One and All	Rustler 36

* Adjusted for displacement per Dave Gerr's formula

The race

The race started as planned at 10:00 GMT on the 1st July 2018, with the competitors passing a rolling gate between Robin Knox-Johnston's Suhaili and Bernard Moitessier's Joshua, two veterans of the 1968 race, with Sir Robin firing the starting cannon on Suhaili. Francis Chichester's Gipsy Moth IV was also in the starting regatta.

Of the 18 entrants, only Francesco Cappelletti failed to make the start line, and officially withdrew on the 5th July. He plans to sail around the world independently, but still being tracked by the organisers of the GGR.^[7] Ertan Beskardes retired on the 5th of July, after deciding that being unable to communicate with his family removed the enjoyment from the race. Kevin Farebrother retired on the 15th at the Canary Islands mark, after becoming 'disillusioned by solo sailing and lack of sleep'. Also at the Canaries, Antoine Cousot had to stop to repair his windvane gear, demoting him to the 'Chichester' class. Nabil Amra retired to the Canaries on the 17th of July, also due to broken windvane gear. Istvan Kopar put in to the Cape Verde islands on the 23rd, planning to replace his windvane, but in the event proceeded without assistance.

Antoine Cousot retired at the end of August due to a broken windvane and injuries. Philippe Péché was relegated to the Chichester class on the 11th after making a satellite phone call following the failure of his tiller.

Are Wiig was dismasted on the 17th August 400nm off Cape Town.^[8]

Abhilash Tomy was dismasted and injured on September 22.^[9] Gregor McGuckin elected to abandon his boat to be rescued with Abhilash after also being dismasted.

Sailor	Cape of Good Hope	Storm Bay Tasmania gate	Falkland Islands mark	Finish
Jean-Luc Van Den Heede	23 August	5 October, 07:30 UTC
Mark Slats	27 August
Uku Randmaa	31 August
Susie Goodall	6 September
Tapio Lehtinen	9 September
Istvan Kopar	9 September
Igor Zaretskiy	13 September
Mark John Sinclair	13 September
'Chichester' class (one stop)
Loïc Lepage	12 September
Retired (in order of retirement)
Francesco Cappelletti	Did not start, officially retired 5/7/18.
Ertan Beskardes	Retired on 5/7/2018, put in to A Coruña. Did not wish to continue due to inability to communicate with family.
Kevin Farebrother	Retired on 15/7/2018, 'disillusioned by solo sailing and lack of sleep'.
Nabil Amra	Retired on 17/7/2018 due to broken windvane, put in to Tenerife.
Antoine Cousot	Retired on 24/8/2018 due to broken windvane and injuries.
Philippe Péché	Retired on 25/8/2018 due to broken windvane, put in to Cape Town.
Are Wiig	Retired on 27/8/2018 after capsizing and dismasting while repairing his windvane.
Abhilash Tomy	Retired on 24/9/2018 after dismasting near Île Amsterdam.
Gregor McGuckin	Retired on 24/9/2018 after dismasting near Île Amsterdam.

External links

Official website

References