Interest grows for retro races

While remaining quiet for the past year during the global pandemic, the wheels are turning again as the organizers for the 2022 Golden Globe and 2023 Ocean Globe Races are getting organized with a permanent office opened in Les Sables d’Olonne, France.

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race, where, in 1968, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston became the only sailor to complete the first, solo, non-stop, round-the-world sailing race. In 2018, in celebration of 50 years since that first record-breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected.

Seventeen skippers competed in the inaugural edition, with the race to return in September 2022 from Les Sables d’Olonne with 28 entrants from 11 countries.

Following on the success of the Golden Globe Race, it was decided that a fully crewed, retro race, in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread round-the-world Race would be good too, so comes The Ocean Globe Race which marks the 50th Anniversary of the original event.

Starting in Europe in September 2023, the OGR is a 27,000-mile sprint around the Globe. Encompassing four legs, which take in the Southern Ocean and three great Capes, there are currently 26 entrants from 17 countries.