around the world yacht race 2022

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She went around the world in 235 days to win sailing's most grueling competition

Scott Neuman

South African sailor Kirsten Neuschafer beat 15 rivals in the 2022 Golden Globe Race, a grueling, nonstop, round-the-world sailing competition. She is the first woman in the race's history to have taken first place. Kirsten Neuschafer/GGR2022 hide caption

South African sailor Kirsten Neuschafer beat 15 rivals in the 2022 Golden Globe Race, a grueling, nonstop, round-the-world sailing competition. She is the first woman in the race's history to have taken first place.

After 235 days alone at sea in a tiny fiberglass boat, South African Kirsten Neuschafer sailed to victory on Thursday in the 2022 Golden Globe nonstop, round-the-world race, crossing the finish line a day ahead of her closest rival.

In sharp contrast to the rough conditions she experienced during much of her voyage, Neuschafer, aboard her 36-foot Minnehaha, spent the last few hours with almost no wind, inching into the same harbor at Les Sables-d'Olonne, France, that she and 15 competitors departed on Sept. 4.

This race is a nonstop sail around the world. Cassette tapes are allowed, but no GPS

All but three of those entrants were subsequently forced out of the grueling race, regarded by many as the most challenging competition the sailing world has to offer. One boat sank in the Indian Ocean, with Neuschafer sailing to the skipper's rescue. Several others lost their masts or experienced other problems.

The Golden Globe is a unique race in which participants are not allowed to use most modern electronics to find their position at sea, relying instead on celestial navigation. It is a reboot of a famous 1968 race that resulted in the first nonstop, unassisted circumnavigation — a feat so rare that even today, more people have gone into space. The race was revived in 2018, and Neuschafer is now the first woman to win.

"I knew before I started that a large aspect of this race is luck and a large aspect is preparation," Neuschafer told NPR by satellite phone in February as she was about to round Cape Horn, where she faced 55 mile-per-hour winds and seas of 25 feet.

"The single-handed aspect was the one that drew me," she said of her decision to enter the race. "I really like the aspect of sailing by celestial navigation, sailing old school."

Neuschafer's closest rival, Abhilash Tomy, an Indian navy commander, is about a day behind her. Another competitor, Austrian sailor Michael Guggenberger, is not expected to finish for several more days.

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Latest News: 2026 Golden Globe Race – Two years to go!

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GGR winner Kirsten Neuschäfer named female 2023 Rolex World Sailor of the Year

The Race Returns.

6 september 2026, sailing like it's 1968, follow the race.

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The Golden Globe Race remains totally unique in the world of sailing and stands alone as the longest, loneliest, slowest, most daring challenge for an individual in any sport.

2026 Skippers

Pat Lawless

• Nationality: Irish
• Country of Entry: IRELAND
• Boat: Saltram Saga 36

• Nationality: Australian / South African
• Country of Entry: AUSTRALIA
• Boat: Atkins Eric 32 Suhaili Replica

Matthew Wright

• Nationality: Australian
• Boat: Rustler 36 Masthead Sloop

Guido Cantini

• Nationality: Italian
• Country of Entry: ITALY
• Boat: Vancouver 34 Classic

Edward Walentynowicz

• Nationality: Canadian
• Country of Entry: CANADA

• Nationality:
• Country of Entry: USA
• Boat: Endurance 35

Alan Lillywhite

• Nationality: British
• Country of Entry: UNITED KINGDOM
• Boat: Biscay 36 Sloop

Stephen Wraith

• Boat: Cape George 36 (Proposed)

• Country of Entry: TURKEY
• Boat: Biscay 36

Javier Lapresa

• Country of Entry: SPAIN
• Boat: Endurance 35 (proposed)

Olivia Wyatt

• Boat: Ta Shing Panda 34

• Boat: OE 32

Matt Woodside

• Boat: Cape George 36

Andrea Lodolo

• Boat: Rustler 36

Daniel Alfredsson

• Nationality: Swedish
• Country of Entry: NORWAY

Andrew Ritchie

• Nationality: German
• Country of Entry: GERMANY

Joel Harkimo

• Nationality: Finnish
• Country of Entry: FINLAND

Henry Wootton

• Boat: Cutter-rigged Cape George 36

Gunnar Christensen

• Nationality: USA
• Boat: Hans Christian 34

Oleg Schmidt

• Nationality: Russian

Louis Kerdelhué

• Nationality: French
• Country of Entry: FRANCE
• Boat: Biscay 36 Masthead Ketch

Mathys Delmere

• Nationality: Swiss
• Boat: Elizabethan 35

Colm Walker

Larry Schmid

• Nationality: American
• Boat: Union 36 Cutter

Special Invitation Entry

Confidential entry, the race in numbers.

"When I first heard about the 2018 GGR I thought it was a great idea, why not do it, reach out to people who have the ambition to do something special with their lives." Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Patron of the Golden Globe Race

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High emotion as the 2022 Golden Globe Race sets off around the world

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Sailor races around the world in 235 days, becomes first woman to win global competition

• The Golden Globe Race required sailors to leave France on Sept. 4, 2022 and sail around the world.
• Kirsten Neuschäfer, from South Africa, won the 2022 race once she crossed the finish line on Thursday.
• She's the first woman to complete such a race, organizers say.

A South African skipper who set out nearly eight months ago to sail across the world has made history as the first woman to win an around-the-world race by the three great capes.

Kirsten Neuschäfer, of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, won the 2022 Golden Globe Race, crossing the finish line in France  Thursday .

She completed the course in 235 days, 5 hours and 44 minutes, sailing 30,290 nautical miles total.

Organizers said her feat makes her the first woman to win a race around the three "great capes" of South America, Africa and Australia. 

"If Kirsten was crossing the line in first place, she would be the first woman to win a round-the-world race by the three great capes, including solo and fully crewed races, nonstop or with stops, and the first South African sailor to win a round-the-world event," race officials said Tuesday .

Golden Globe Race course

The race required participants to leave Les Sables-d’Olonne, France on Sept. 4, 2022 and sail nonstop around the world via the world's great capes in the Southern Hemisphere, then return to Les Sables-d’Olonne. They had to do it alone with no help, organizers said on the race's website .

Other sailors in the race were from France, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Malta and more.

Competition officials had predicted this week that Simon Curwen from the United Kingdom would complete the race first on Thursday, followed by Neuschäfer on Friday morning and Abhilash Tomy from India on Friday evening.

Sailors were tracked during their journeys, and race enthusiasts could keep up with their progress on the race's website.

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What are the rules?

Once the starting shot sounded n Sept. 4, 2022 , sailors had to start the trek within five days. They were able to seek shelter and anchor for repairs at sea but could not enter a port, nor could they receive help from others.

Those who finished the race will get a Golden Globe plaque and the Golden Globe perpetual trophy, organizers said.

The winner has sailed film crews, cycled thousands of miles and more

Neuschäfer completed the race on a  Cape George Cutter called Minnehaha. The 36-foot boat is named after a fictional native woman from American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1855 poem "The Song of Hiawatha."

"She is the lover of the poem's primary character, Hiawatha," Neuschäfer's website reads. "The name Minnehaha is said to mean 'laughing water' in the poem. It more accurately translates to 'waterfall' in the Dakota Sioux language."

Neuschäfer has been sailing since she was a child, organizers said. She began sailing professionally in 2006, working as a trainer and completing sailboat deliveries, including one from Portugal to South Africa.

She also has helped transport film crews to the Antarctic to gather footage and was featured in the National Geographic series ‘Wild Life Resurrection Island with Bertie Gregory,’ sailing his crew throughout south Georgia as they looked into the area's ecosystems and its challenges.

She's also a cycler and once traveled from Europe to South Africa, cycling more than 9,320 miles in one year.

How did the race begin?

The Golden Globe Race dates back to the 1960s, when British sailor Francis Chichester left England to sail around the world to Australia and back via the five Great Capes. He did it in 226 days – 274 days if you include a stopover in Sydney – to set a record for the fastest voyage around the world in a small boat.

Just a few years later in 1968, nine additional participants set out to sail solo nonstop around the globe. The only one to finish was Robin Knox-Johnston, who finished in 312 days, according to Golden Globe Race organizers .

Today's race is for "those who dare," much like it was for Sir Robin, organizers wrote on their website.

And dare, Neuschäfer did.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia –  the 757  –  and loves all things horror, witches, Christmas, and food. Follow her on Twitter at  @Saleen_Martin  or email her at  [email protected] .

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Latest News: 2023 McIntyre Ocean Globe Prize giving!

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2023 Ocean Globe Race announces Ocean Village Southampton UK as start port

• UK start for the 50th anniversary celebration of the first 1973 Whitbread Race saved by anonymous corporate partner and MDL Marinas bringing this iconic sailing race home to Southampton
• Tracy Edwards and her Maiden team, the only UK entrant in the OGR, are excited to relive their Whitbread dream once again and race around the world
• 15 yachts including six previous Whitbread entrants and one Whitbread winner confirmed for the September 10th OGR start

When Don McIntyre decided in 2015 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first ever Whitbread crewed race around the world, it had to start in the UK. That’s where the Whitbread story began.

He did the same thing when deciding to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original 1968 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race which also started from the UK. Sadly no support came from British ports so the 2018 GGR went to Les Sables d’Olonne in France (home of the Vendee Globe) where it was welcomed with open arms and strong investment that generated US$185m in media returns. The third edition GGR2022 is due to finish there in a few weeks.

Until now it looked like the Ocean Globe Race was going the same way. In an October 2022 press release announcing Cape Town, Auckland and Punta Del Este as the OGR stopover ports and after years of trying, OGR announced that ‘sadly UK ports are not interested in hosting the start and finish of this epic adventure and historic occasion’. Final discussions were underway with European ports for the hosting rights.

Fortunately that statement was picked up by a large corporate entity with UK connections. They felt strongly that the OGR should stay in the UK. At the same time MDL Marinas wanted to save the event for the UK as a celebration of their own 50th anniversary. They were passionate about bringing this iconic sailing race back to Southampton and their Ocean Village Marina , the home of so many previous Whitbread races. A deal was struck with both parties and now Ocean Village Southampton is the home of the OGR! This is a huge win for the UK that has seen other significant events move to Europe.

I am absolutely thrilled to have MDL onboard for the 2023 Ocean Globe Race and starting from Ocean Village in Southampton is a personal dream for me. Now, in September, the UK public and sailors everywhere will be able to celebrate an important part of their maritime culture with a true recreation of those first amateur sailors racing into the unknown! Don McIntyre, Ocean Globe Race Founder & Owner of McIntyre Adventure

On 10 September 2023, over 160 sailors will depart Ocean Village onboard the 15 yachts to complete the four leg, 30,000 mile race around the world via the three great capes; Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, Australia’s Cape Leeuwin, and South America’s notorious Cape Horn. Onboard the privately-owned, pre-1988 classic sailing boats, the international, mixed-gender crews will have no GPS, no high-tech equipment and no computers. They will navigate using only a sextant, paper charts and the stars with all communications by HF SSB radios. They will return in April 2024.

Six of the yachts competing have taken part in one or more of the Whitbread races (including the first French yacht to ever win the Whitbread) to which they are now paying homage. One of the most notable is Tracy Edwards ’ Farr 58 Maiden . In 1990, Tracy triumphantly brought home the first ever all-female Whitbread crew onboard Maiden to Ocean Village Marina. At the time, it was estimated that almost 50,000 people came to witness this momentous event, which helped to turn the tide on women’s participation in sailing.

What better way to celebrate MDL Marina’s 50th anniversary than to join forces with Don McIntyre to bring the Ocean Globe Race to life to celebrate the iconic Whitbread Round the World race as it also turns 50. By hosting the start of this retro edition of the historic race at our Ocean Village Marina, we’re hoping to recreate the jubilant atmosphere of the early races, welcoming crowds of supporters, capturing the imagination of visitors and inspiring the next generation of round the world sailors. Working closely with Southampton City Council and McIntyre Adventure it’s an honor and privilege to be part of this event, building on Southampton’s already proud maritime heritage. And there’s plenty of opportunities for businesses, both marine and non-marine, to be front and centre of all the action at the Race Village. Tim Mayer, Sales and Marketing Director at MDL Marinas

The Race Village at Ocean Village Marina will open on 26 August 2023, two weeks prior to the start of the race on 10 September. During the run up to the start, the Race Village will host speakers, pre-race activities, past race screenings, hospitality and entertainment as well as the media centre and sailors’ briefing area.

This is very good news indeed! I am delighted to hear that the 50th anniversary celebration of the first Whitbread is starting out of Ocean Village. This OGR will be a great race and huge adventure and tribute to all those original Whitbread sailors. Sir Chay Blyth OGR Patron and Official Starter

This is a chance for all UK sailors and yacht clubs to show they want and support these major events by heading out to the start, visiting the race village or volunteering to help the organisers make the event even bigger!

Any business interested in getting involved and partnering with this historic event in Ocean Village should contact Tim Mayer via [email protected] . For more information on the Ocean Globe Race visit https://oceangloberace.com . For more information on MDL and its marinas visit www.mdlmarinas.co.uk .

Don McIntyre OGR Chairman and Founder

Don McIntyre is the founder and underwriter of the goldengloberace.com the oceangloberace.com and the minigloberace.com . Follow him at mcintyreadventure.com .

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Global travel and lifestyle magazine, golden globe round-the-world yacht race 2022.

Mark Nicholls heads to the French resort of Les Sables d’Olonne for the start of the Golden Globe single-handed round-the-world yacht race.

Les Sables d’Olonne has all you expect of a French harbour town: narrow alleys, a quaint fisherman’s quarter, wonderful seafood restaurants and long stretches of sandy beach.

A salty aroma wafts along the channel that links the sea to the expansive quays where row after row of yachts and motorboats are moored.

This is, after all, the capital of single-handed round-the-world yacht racing, a claim to fame this resort on the west coast of France cherishes.

Intrepid sailors

Set on the Atlantic coast, it is the departure and finish point for two of the most challenging round-the-world races; the Vendée Globe, and the Golden Globe.

The latter is a throwback to racing in days past, with the vessels skippered by intrepid sailors deprived of the sophisticated technology of the sleek Vendée Globe yachts, and instead setting off with little more than a sextant, compass and paper maps to guide them.

The circumnavigation for these 35-footers does take a little longer – around 250-300 days compared to 80 days for Vendée Globe entrants.

Perilous weather

While at sea, Golden Globe competitors are unassisted and have little contact with the outside world, land, or family and friends, and only receive warnings of the most perilous weather conditions.

Founder and Race Chairman Don McIntyre points out:

“These guys are totally isolated, it is a unique challenge, they are on their own.”

As a result, the 16 vessels and skippers – including one woman Kirsten Neuschäfer from South Africa – have to pass stringent safety requirements and have proven sailing ability just to make it to the start line and receive the coveted “green card” to compete.

Traditional skills

The vessels have to be designed before 1988 and meet strict dimensions of 32-36 foot yet be robust enough to withstand navigation through the world’s treacherous oceans.

British skipper Ian Herbert-Jones tells me a couple of days ahead of departure:

“It’s a victory just to make it to the start line.”

He has been preparing for the race for three years but his yacht Puffin, a 35-foot Tradewind built in 1986, has a pedigree and was one of five finishers from the 18 starters in the 2018 race, which was only the second time the Golden Globe was staged since 1968, when yachting legend Sir Robin Knox-Johnson, now 82, won.

As the official starter for 2022, Sir Robin is delighted with the ongoing revival of the race:

“It is a great event because we are hanging on to traditional sailing skills.”

Coastal jewel

Round-the-world yacht racing has put Les Sables d’Olonne on the map as a coastal jewel in the Vendée region of pleasant towns and villages, natural landscapes and an irresistible cuisine, with a big focus on seafood.

Sailing remains a huge aspect of the resort, with the quay crammed with vessels of all shapes and sizes. But with its lovely ambience, fish markets, and narrow alleys lined with shops and bars, the appeal of Les Sables d’Olonne is far wider, and is also a steppingstone into the Vendée’s relaxed way of life.

Set in a south facing bay, its sandy beaches are ideal for swimming and surfing, while inland are forest areas and marshlands where hiking, cycling and horse-riding are popular.

Salt marshes

The salt marshes surrounding the coastal town underpinned its wealth and importance as a trading centre in centuries past, but today are popular for leisure activities.

A little way inland are the shallow waters of the former salt producing areas, which are popular for canoeing or stand-up paddle boarding and make for a pleasant hour or two passing through small channels.

Elsewhere, the raised paths of the saltpans have become routes for walking, cycling, venturing off on e-scooters. With fat tyres suitable for the terrain, they are quite different to city centre rental scooters, but are an exhilarating way to traverse the landscape or head off further into routes through forested areas.

Sardines and tuna

With a long-standing maritime heritage, Les Sables d’Olonne remains the fourth biggest French fishing port.

Its origins lay in whaling before a shift to cod fishing in the 17 th century and in more recent times to sardines and tuna, which underpins much of its industry today.

It is no surprise that seafood is central to the menus of the resort, but you can also shop for it in the covered markets of the town.

Moules mariniere are a favourite in many quayside eateries, such as Restaurant les Patagos in Port Olona, or if you are feeling hungry, plump for one of the magnificent seafood platters at the Fleur de Thym restaurant with an array of whelks, oysters, prawns, langoustines and crab. The markets are also great places to buy fresh bread, fruit and vegetable, meat and other produce.

Maritime heritage

If you are inspired and want to further absorb this maritime heritage, wander the older district of Chaume with quiet back streets with small fisherman’s houses, churches, murals on walls, or pop into a traditional side street café.

Walk on further and you find yourself along the channel that connects the sea and the harbour entrance, dominated on the rocky shoreline by the Priory of St Nicholas, defended by iron cannons pointing out to sea.

While the resort is separated by channels, they are criss-crossed by river buses, linking each part of the town.

Carefree ambience

Head off in another direction into the centre, where the Notre Dame Church is hemmed in, and you come out at the covered market with all its produce.

Wander round and cut through to the promenade and walk barefoot on the beach or take a refreshing sea swim.

Sunday mornings brings out the locals; promenading, swimming, performing yoga and tai chi on the beach, or walking, as a form of group exercise through the pull of the waves.

Yet in contrast to this carefree coastal ambience, the levels of activity were picking up within the Golden Globe race village.

Final preparations

As the clock ticked towards departure, skippers made final preparations, conducted interviews, and said farewells.

While some had rousing send-offs, others slipped quietly from their berths for the months of solitude, lack of sleep and physical and mental challenges that lay ahead.

It posed the question, why do it?

For some, it was a one-off, once-in-a-lifetime challenge; others saw it as one adventure in a career of further ocean-going racing exploits; while some were seasoned racers wanting to stretch their skills to the limit.

Landmark goals

For Ian Herbert-Jones, 52, from Shropshire, there was the personal challenge, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to sail single-handed around the world unassisted.

Having said farewell to his wife Sally, 21-year-old twin sons Thomas and Owen, and daughter Emma, 16, he remained acutely aware of the psychological challenge of not being able to contact family and friends.

A former soldier and now a sales director with a software company, he aims to complete the race but has also set landmark goals; getting to Cape Town or Australia, whilst meeting the risks of sailing in the Southern Ocean with high fierce winds, the 50-foot waves, and the possibility of capsizing.

Emotional farewells

With cabins crammed with food and other bare essentials, and a reliance on rainwater capture to drinking water, it was just after 1.30pm on the afternoon of Sunday, September 4 th , that Puffin and the other vessels left the shelter of Port Olona.

It was to be a last contact with home, loved ones, support crews and supplies, until the end of the race, possibly 300 days away.

From emotional farewells on the quayside, and the harbour walls of Les Sables d’Olonne lined with well-wishers, the competitors were followed out into the open sea for the official start by a flotilla of press boats, small vessels and official craft, as well as two French Navy ships just out to sea.

Returning to Les Sables d’Olonne

As the clock ticked on to 4pm local time, a blast from the horn of the naval vessel signalled the start of Golden Globe 2022.

The race has a high attrition rate as the small vessels battle some of the most ferocious seas and weather conditions on earth, but among the skippers there is this huge desire to complete the race and return to Les Sables d’Olonne.

Funnily enough, that’s my goal too.

Having discovered the resort and its attractions, I also made a vow to return, though not with a single-handed 250-day round-the-world yacht journey in between.

Mark Nicholls flew easyJet from London Gatwick to Nantes with a 90-minute transfer to Les Sables d’Olonne. There are also good rail connections with Paris.

Accommodation: The Originals Boutique Admiral’s Hotel , close to the marina.

Paddle boarding at Terrasse des Salines: www.lessalines.fr

E-scooters: www.libert-e-trott.com

Vendée Tourism: www.vendee-tourism.co.uk

Les Sables d’Olonne: www.lessablesdolonne-tourisme.com

Golden Globe Challenge at-a-glance

The Golden Globe Challenge originally took place in 1968 as the first solo, non-stop, round-the-world race and was won by Robin Knox-Johnston. It was revived in 2018 on the 50 th anniversary and won by 73-year-old Jean-Luc Van Den Heede after 212 days at sea. The third edition retains the core, solitary, ethos of the earlier editions without technical assistance and GPS and using the same equipment as the first race in 1968. But it allows for greater interaction with competitors with five points of passage where the skippers can transmit photos and videos.

The 2022 skippers include Guy Waites, Ian Herbert-Jones, Ertan Beskardes and Simon Curwen from the UK; South African skipper and the only woman, Kirsten Neuschäfer; Pat Lawless from Ireland; Abhilash Tomy from India; American sailors Guy de Boer and Elliott Smith, at 27, the youngest competitor; and Canadian Edward Walentynowicz, at 69, the oldest.

Boats must be production models, designed before 1988 and be no longer than 35 feet.

For more information or to follow the race, please visit: www.goldengloberace.com .

Mark Nicholls is an award-winning freelance travel writer and author, based in the UK and has written for a range of national titles, specialist magazines and international websites and operated as a war correspondent in locations such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Photographs by Mark Nicholls

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Guy DeBoer: Golden Globe Race 2022 skipper

• Katy Stickland
• August 17, 2022

Guy DeBoer wants to become the first American skipper to win a a solo non-stop around the world yacht race. He shares how he is preparing for the 2022 Golden Globe Race

Guy DeBoer has sailed and raced his entire life and has been fascinated with the Golden Globe Race since the original 1968-69 race.

The American skipper learned to sail at the New Orleans Yacht Club before competing internationally in Olympic Classes such as the Star and Finn.

The 66-year-old has raced a wide variety of boats, from dinghies to Maxis as helmsman, tactician, navigator and crew, sailing over 25,000 miles in competitive races; the longest being the 802 mile Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas race.

He helmed the 1989-90 Whitbread yacht Fazizi in the Chicago Mackinac Race, and sailed in adventure style races on small trimarans, including the 300 mile Everglades Challenge.

All skippers have to use sextants and paper charts to navigate during the 2022 Golden Globe Race. Credit: GGR/Guy deBoer

Guy DeBoer has extensive experience refitting and boat building , and has chosen the full keel double-ender Tashiba 36, an updated version of the Baba 35, for the 2022 Golden Globe Race .

He has refitted Spirit himself, fitting two watertight bulkheads, and replacing the seacocks . The boat has also been completely rewired.

Spirit ‘s mast has also been shorted by 1.5 metres than standard and changed to two spreads with reinforcement after he read about Jean-Luc Van Den Heede ‘s pitchpole during the 2018 Golden Globe Race.

The French winner of the 2018 event believes reducing the mast of his Rustler 36 by 1.5m prevented the boat from being dismasted.

Guy DeBoer is one of two American entrants in the race; the other is Elliot Smith .

Guy plans to become the first American skipper to win a a solo non-stop around the world yacht race .

Guy DeBoer has carried out most of the refit work on Spirit himself.

Why race in the 2022 Golden Globe Race?

Guy DeBoer: I was fascinated when I learned of the Golden Globe Race in 1968 as a young junior sailor. But soon after I meet American Olympic Gold Medal winner Buddy Melges and started dreaming of sailing in the Olympics.

What did you learn from the 2018 Golden Globe Race?

Guy DeBoer: Assuming you are a skilled solo skipper, the race is won before the start. Selecting the right design and preparation for the race and the Southern Ocean will determine one’s outcome.

What storm tactics do you plan to use?

Guy DeBoer: Every storm and its accompanying seas are unique, The ability to adapt to the changing conditions is paramount to keeping the boat safe. To win you need to finish!

Have you practiced these storm tactics?

Guy DeBoer:   Throughout my career, yes. But these are new challenges for me and my boat. So, again I’ll practice and prepare before the start.

All entrants must carry out a jury rig test on their Golden Globe Race boat. Credit: GGR

What did you learn from Jean-Luc Van Den Heede‘s win in the 2018 Golden Globe Race?

Guy DeBoer: Jean-Luc Van Den Heede has been very generous with his time and advice.

He has always answered my questions and offered me advice.

When you inspect my boat you will see I’ve heeded and learned from Jean-Luc Van Den Heede and from all the skippers that sailed in the 2018 Golden Globe Race.

Why did you choose a Tashiba 36 for the 2022 Golden Globe Race?

Guy DeBoer: I sought out the advice of two naval architects and a prominent weather router.

The numbers developed gave me the confidence that Bob Perry’s Tashiba 36 was the fastest design and the safest as well.

I was fortunate to find my boat, Spirit on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

It was easy after the purchase to sail her to Key West, Florida my home, and begin the 3-year program of getting her ready for the Golden Globe Race.

Continues below…

10 things to know about the 2022 Golden Globe Race

Follow the build-up to the 2022 Golden Globe Race as the skippers prepare to race solo around the world without…

Golden Globe Race 2022: The Long Way

Katy Stickland meets the skippers turning their backs on modern technology to take part in the slowest yacht race around…

Golden Globe Race course: changes for 2022 edition

23 skippers from around the world are preparing for what is arguably one of the longest sporting events in the…

Elliott Smith: Golden Globe Race 2022 skipper

With four years of sailing experience under his belt, American skipper Elliott Smith was inspired by Bernard Moitessier to sail…

How are you preparing Spirit for the 2022 race?

Guy DeBoer: The list is too long to describe here, I can tell you she will be 100% ready for the race.

What will your sail plan be?

Guy DeBoer: The Tashiba 36 is a cutter design, I’ve shortened the rig and reinforced it to survive a 360-degree rollover or pitch-pole.

I have selected Mark Wood of UK Sailmakers Miami, Florida. I have a sail inventory ready for all wind angles and strengths.

Are you looking to win or get around?

Guy deBoer:   The first goal is to finish! I’m a good competitive sailor, should I not break the boat, I’m working towards something no American sailor has ever done, that is to win a solo non-stop around the world race.

Let’s play the game first, there are quite a few skippers in the race with around the world experience, and will prove to be tough to beat.

The skipper that wins this edition of the Golden Globe Race will know he has raced against worthy adversaries.

Guy DeBoer sailed from Key West to Spain ahead of the race start. The passage was his qualifying sail for the 2022 race.

For this race there will be no HAM radio transmissions allowed only registered, licensed maritime-approved HF Single Side Band (SSB) Radio, with discussions limited to the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) weather. Weather Fax will be allowed for the race. Some of the 2018 Golden Globe Race skippers raised concerns about picking up GMDSS in the Southern Ocean. Do you share these concerns?

Guy DeBoer: Of course, I do, at the very least the ICOM SSB radio though should pull through with reliable weather reports.

My weatherfax and SSB installations have been designed to perform anywhere around the world. I’m confident with preparations.

Jean-Luc Van Den Heede consulted meteorologists and studied the weather to choose the best route which helped him make early gains in the 2018 race. Do you plan to do the same?

Guy DeBoer: I have been studying the weather patterns along the course since I entered the race in 2019. Yes, I’m working with a weather router with several around the world records in their resume.

Guy DeBoer has previously worked as a publisher/editor in news and media.

How is your celestial navigation going?

Guy DeBoer: I’m confident that it will not be an issue during the race.

What windvane steering setup are you planning on using?

Guy DeBoer: I’ve chosen the Hydrovane for its durability.

What antifouling will you be using?

Guy DeBoer: Seahawks Paints proved to be the best available legal paint allowed from the experience learned for the 2018 Golden Globe Race skipper Istvan Kopar .

How many solo miles have you sailed?

Guy DeBoer: 2-3000nm over my career.

Guy DeBoer has extensive racing experience and is looking to win the 2022 Golden Globe Race

Is coping with isolation an issue?

Guy DeBoer: That’s the one thing I have not trained for, only time will tell.

How do you handle challenges while alone at sea?

Guy DeBoer: If someone would describe me, it would properly be as an even-keeled personality.

For the past 3 years, I’ve been pounding it into my head, “DO NOT BREAK THE BOAT”.

If I do, I can fix just about anything and continue pressing on.

What will you miss while taking part in the race?

Guy DeBoer: Girlfriend, friends, and family. I’m not different from any of my fellow skippers.

What treat will you be taking?

Guy DeBoer: Cigars, rum, chocolate

The Golden Globe Race 2018 was a celebration of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston . The Golden Globe Race 2022 is a celebration of Bernard Moitessier. What words of wisdom from Moitessier will you be following in the race?

Guy DeBoer: Peace with oneself, the environment , the world.

When I return to Les Sables D’Olonne I want to know personally I learned all I can from the sea and gave it my all to win.

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The International contenders hoping to make their mark in the 2024 Vendée Globe

• September 17, 2024

Is French dominance in the IMOCA 60 class about to be challenged? Andi Robertson and Helen Fretter report on the latest international contenders

The Vendée Globe is one of the most quintessentially French sporting phenomena. Fans who make the four-yearly pilgrimage to Les Sables d’Olonne – rising long before dawn to secure their spot on the town’s Atlantic-swept sea walls so they may wave their heroes off at the start – are probably only rivalled in passion by the obsessive Tour de France followers who spend summers camping roadside on mountain passes.

A whole infrastructure is built in France around the Vendée race and the IMOCA class. In Lorient and Les Sables armies of specialists handle the complex rigging, electronics and sails maintenance needs. There are the famed training camps out of Port-la-Forêt, where the best sailors in the world push each other harder and harder in the hunt for marginal gains.

For many it’s near impossible to break into this world without becoming a ‘French’ team ( Alex Thomson and Mike Golding being rare exceptions who were based out of the UK). However, the current crop of IMOCA 60 skippers includes a good proportion of international skippers, many based in France – though not all. And this summer’s back-to-back transatlantic races have seen some of these skippers come to the fore.

May’s westbound Transat CIC, swiftly followed by the return New York Vendée Les Sables d’Olonne finishing in June, presented a dilemma for some teams: if qualifying miles were needed, the races had to be completed – perhaps more cautiously than usual. For some the schedule was too punishing, or the time and budget demands too arduous at this stage. Sam Goodchild and Pip Hare were among the skippers who opted to deliver their boat to New York instead.

For others the races represented an opportunity to truly test their boats and themselves in one last ‘big race’ scenario, albeit the North Atlantic in early summer offered very different conditions compared to what skippers can expect on this November’s Vendée Globe course.

Photo: Jean-Louis Carli/Alea

Boris Herrmann

After a career best 2nd place on the outbound Transat CIC, finishing just 2h 19m behind winner Yoann Richomme, Germany’s Boris Herrmann ( Malizia SeaExplorer ) scored another 2nd place on the return New York Vendée Les Sables d’Olonne race.

Herrmann took an extreme northerly option, climbing over the dominant high pressure system to benefit from fast downwind conditions – at one point he was over 700 miles north-west of eventual winner Charlie Dalin and 1,100 miles away from the main peloton of top boats, which passed south of the Azores. The careful gamble at one stage looked like it might reward Herrmann with his first major solo race win.

Herrmann, who bases his campaign out of Monaco, has done much to raise the profile of offshore racing in Germany, following his 5th place in the 2020 Vendée. The Ocean Race , in which he finished third, also won many fans. But despite those successes, and his notably different IMOCA design, Herrmann has a reputation for perhaps being a little conservative. With two 2nd places under his belt, is he now going to be challenging for the front of the Vendée fleet?

‘I’d expect to be starting full throttle. I think now my boat is indestructible’. Photo: Jean-Louis Carli/Alea

“I think it may make me a bit more confident,” Herrmann agrees. “I’d expect to be starting full throttle, but with a little bit of expectation to stay or to reclaim a good position wherever possible.

“I may also be more likely to be more in race-mode as sometimes I’m a little on my own planet and doing my own thing!”

After 29,000 miles he has high confidence in Malizia-SeaExplorer. “I think now my boat is indestructible – we have half a tonne more carbon than some other people.

“A strength of my boat is when it’s very irregular and unstable, because it is more tolerant [of those conditions]. Its particular strength is probably downwind in sea state, I have the best boat in the fleet for that. Obviously you pay for that when it’s upwind in medium conditions.

“In the light I’m quite good, but in everything pre-foiling – when some of the Verdier designs might just pop on the foil – then we struggle a bit. I need 1-2 knots more.”

To be at the front of the fleet brings its own intensity. “[The New York race] was a very unusual, extreme situation. It’s unlikely we’d ever have such a big split in the Vendée. Quite often it’s more about small optimisations of basically the same trajectory with some boats around you.

Article continues below…

Forty solo skippers taking part in the Vendée Globe race 2024

IMOCA teams have been anxiously counting the qualification miles for this year’s around the world race after 44 skippers initially…

Two new IMOCA skippers who will be fighting at the front of the next Vendée Globe

One year before the 2024 Vendée Globe, two back to back transatlantic races – the classic double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre…

“That is normally quite relaxing for me, as long as I have other people around. In the Transat CIC I had Sam Davies on the AIS all the way until the finish. That was super relaxing, I could lie on my bunk and have a big percentage number [displayed] and see how much distance I was gaining or losing. It’s a bit like having a pacemaker.”

Managing stress is a huge element of the Vendée Globe. What does Herrmann find most challenging? “My main focus now is on recovering better after having gone through stressful situations. For example, during the last Vendée I had the stress of needing to climb the mast with a fear of heights. And I needed to look for Kevin [Escoffier, four skippers were diverted to assist in a search and rescue]. And those situations I remember for days, it took me a while [to get over them].

“This could be quicker if I pay more attention to telling my subconscious ‘it’s fine, it’s all good, don’t worry’. That’s what I mainly want to learn, the attitude of not worrying so much, as I always worry too much about everything.”

Photo: Richard Langdon/Pip Hare Ocean Racing

The New York to Les Sables race was also a career best for British-based Pip Hare , who finished ninth.

The real success story for Hare and her team is how closely she and Medallia were matching some of the front-runners in the fleet for speed – at times racing within range of Goodchild and Thomas Ruyant , alongside Justine Mettreaux on Teamwork, Sam Davies, and Yoann Richomme on Arkea Paprec. “I am so, so pleased as it is next level for me and the boat. And it is a validation that as a team we really needed,” she said after finishing.

“I have learned a lot about my comparative speed. I have always said it is difficult to be the lone team in the UK. We are very much in isolation. I have learned now about my pace compared to different generations of boat and I have been impressed with Medallia’s performance. It has some holes – as you would expect from a 2016 generation boat – but I was impressed in the conditions that it can hold its own.

“And I just love sailing this boat, I flipping love it!

“I hope this sets the bar high and I won’t go back – that comes with a certain pressure. I have always aspired to be in the top 10. But you can’t click your fingers and get there. It’s a hard, hard journey.”

Photo: Vincent Olivaud

British skipper Sam Davies has long been part of the French IMOCA world, but she’s also long established as one of the top international skippers, finishing fourth on her debut Vendée with Roxy in 2008. She was dismasted in 2012 (on Savéol), then had to retire in 2020 after her previous Initiatives Coeur hit an underwater object. But for 2024 she has her first custom-designed IMOCA, a 2022 Manuard design.

The joy Davies still finds in solo sailing, 21 years after her first Figaro, is evident. In all her videos from this summer’s transats Davies seemed to be perpetually smiling, a grin which was at its widest on the dock in Brooklyn where she sprayed champagne over her team to celebrate a hard won third place in the Transat CIC. That result – Davies’ best ever IMOCA in the foiling era – was backed up by a strong sixth on the return race.

She and Initiatives Coeur were clearly flourishing at the pace being set by Jérémie Beyou , Justine Mettraux, Thomas Ruyant, and Yoann Richomme. All might be considered Vendée Globe podium contenders – as Davies also clearly now is.

“It was so important for the Vendée Globe to have done those races and to get good results in both of them is a big confidence builder,” Davies says. “For me it was important for the testing factor because I still judge my boat as quite new.

“Last year we just got it up and running so it was really important for me to ‘send it’ across the Atlantic and really push both ways. Now I know I can send it in the middle of the Southern Ocean when there is no shelter nearby.

‘I am on top of the miles table – it’s reassuring to know I could not have done more in preparation’. Photo: Alea/Initiatives Coeur

“This has proven that I’m capable of sailing my boat to its potential. These boats are so powerful and can be violent and a handful to live on – and to keep pushing over a prolonged period of time. So now I feel I’m at the same level as my boat, but I also learned, ‘Whoah, I am in the match!’ I’m up there with the front group and that’s what I, and my team, have always wanted. Those are our ambitions. We want to be in that lead peloton. I’ve proven to myself I can do that, and that it’s really good fun. That makes me want to do that more.

“Maybe there is that little bit of extra pressure now as I have proven I can be on the podium once. But I have done the best things I could have leading into the Vendée Globe, and there is nothing better than being up there among the ‘favourites’ because for the project it keeps us up at the front in the pre-race build up.

“We have a bit to do to refit and reinforce the boat this summer but there are no performance changes. That’s nice to know. I have all the sheets marked and my little ‘bible’ of how to sail this boat is pretty good now.

“I have some new sails. For my sail choices the fact I did the Southern Ocean leg with Biotherm was a big help. You easily forget what it’s like in the Southern Ocean and what it’s like there on your own, and what a huge percentage of the Vendée Globe that is. [That was] one of the big gains to having done that and lived in such an extreme way with the issues we had.

“I am on top of the miles table – that in itself is reassuring, to know I could not have done more in preparation. Some people see it as wearing the boat out or it being too tiring but it’s really important to have done the training. Now I’m in such a good place.”

Photo: Pierre Bouras/TR Racing

Sam Goodchild

Sam Goodchild marked his card early on as a likely Vendée Globe podium contender going into his first attempt – though the modest British sailor is unlikely to say as much.

After spending much of his childhood in the Caribbean on his family’s cruising yacht, Goodchild returned to the UK for school and went through the Artemis Academy in Cowes before moving to France. After impressive results in the Figaro, Class 40 and Ocean Multi 50, he signed his first IMOCA deal in early 2023.

His Vendée campaign hit the ground running with a string of thirds in the double-handed Guyader Bermudes 1000, Rolex Fastnet, Défi Azimut and Transat Jacques Vabre in 2023, before also taking third in his first ever solo IMOCA race, last year’s Retour à La Base.

He elected not to do the outbound Transat CIC this spring, but to focus instead on the New York-Les Sables as the race likely to be more representative of Vendée Globe conditions. But while lying fourth with 1,100 miles to the finish line, Goodchild‘s IMOCA Vulnerable lost its mast. He sailed under jury rig to the Azores, before the IMOCA was repatriated to Lorient under tow.

He is determined the accident won’t compromise his build up to his first Vendée Globe. “We planned to put the boat in for a summer refit, so in theory we might lose no time at all. The refit is just a post-race check – screw everything on a bit tighter and add some more knots to things, make sure we don’t take any risks!

“We can reassure ourselves that the boat’s done eight years and we are going to put a rig on it that is better than the rig which was put on originally – and trust that the 100,000 miles before it broke all went fine. You definitely wouldn’t choose to be in this situation five months out of the Vendée Globe, but you make the best of the scenario.”

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TWO CLASSES

The next edition of The Ocean Race will be open to two classes of high-performance ocean-going racing yachts

The Ocean Race 2022-23 features two fleets of highperformance ocean-going racing yachts – both are capable of high speeds and in the right conditions can cover 600 nautical miles or more in 24-hours. The 60-foot IMOCA Class is racing around the world for The Ocean Race Trophy, while the 65-foot VO65 Class is racing for The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup over three legs: Leg 1 from Alicante, Spain to Cabo Verde, Leg 6 from Aarhus, Denmark to The Hague in the Netherlands, and Leg 7 from The Hague to Genova, Italy.

Perhaps best known for single-handed or doublehanded racing, the IMOCAs will race with a full crew for their first participation in The Ocean Race.

The IMOCA Class uses a development design rule which allows the designers to experiment with hull and sail shapes within set parameters. However, masts, booms and standing rigging are one-design.

Like the VO65, IMOCAs also have a powerful sail plan and a canting keel, but the class rules also allow the use of retractable underwater foils which further boost performance by lifting the boat partially out of the water.

• 60-foot (18.3 metres) carbon construction single hull yachts
• Built to a development rule, so designers can experiment within hull and sail shapes within set parameters
• Raced by mixed sex crews of four or five sailors
• A weighted swinging keel and a pair of retractable underwater foils dramatically boost performance
• Capable of travelling over 600 nautical miles in 24 hours

Having previously raced around the world in the last two editions of The Ocean Race, in the 2022-23 race the VO65s are racing over three legs for The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup.

Built to a strict one-design rule, the boats are identical in every way, and therefore extremely evenly matched.

 A towering sail plan along with a weighted keel that can be canted horizontally underneath the boat make the VO65s powerful and fast in open ocean conditions. 

• 65-foot (20-metre) single hull carbon construction yachts
• built to a one-design rule, so identical hull and sail design
• raced by mixed sex crews of minimum seven sailors
• a weighted swinging keel gives the boat huge leverage and power
• capable of travelling over 600 nautical miles in 24 hours