When the start line is the finish line

Les Sables d’Olonne, France (June 26, 2018) – The reality of the 2018 Golden Globe Race increases as the assembled fleet in Les Sables d’Olonne of 18 skippers and their teams from 13 countries work feverishly to be ready for the Noon start on July 1.

The skipper with the biggest mountain to climb is Italian Francesco Cappelletti whose Endurance 35 007 only arrived by road on June 22. She’s been launched and rigged since, but her completion is far from complete and Capelletti has still to make three days of solo sea trials in her.

Fifty years ago, fellow Italian Alex Carozo was one of the nine starters in the original Sunday Times Golden Globe Race and faced a similar problem with his boat. He sat on a mooring in isolation for five days after the start deadline to complete his preparations.

Carozo, now 86, arrives in town June 28 and will undoubtedly be rolling up his shirtsleeves to help, but Cappelletti is already benefiting as six apprentices from the local Tabarly professional boatbuilding college have volunteered their services. It is time that is not on Cappelletti’s side. All competitors have until Noon on June 29 to pass their safety inspections or they miss start.

Nabil Amra, the Palestinian/American sailing the Biscay 36 Liberty II is also racing against time. He is due to return to Les Sables d’Olonne tomorrow having completed the final part of his solo sailing trials only to return to sea again to do his 5 mile jury rudder trial. The problem he has is that his emergency rudder, which forms part of the self steering gear, is not due to be delivered until the morning of June 29 – just hours before the Noon safety deadline set by the French authorities.

If any fail to make start, then competitors have six days grace to complete their preparations before the start closes permanently at Noon on July 7.

Other competitors still to pass safety inspections:
• Mark Slats (NED) Rustler 36 Ohpen Maverick
• Are Wiig (DEN) OE 32 Olleanna
• Uku Randmaa (EST) Rustler 36 One and All
• Tapio Lehtinen (FIN) Gaia 36 Asteria
• Igor Zaretskiy (RUS) Endurance 35 Esmeralda
• Istvan Kopar (USA) Tradewind 35 Puffin
• Loïc Lepage (FRA) Nicholson 32 Laaland
• Francesco Cappelletti (ITI) Endurance 35 007

Those to have passed their safety inspections to date are:
• Susie Goodall (GBR) Rustler 36 DHL Starlight
• Jean-Luc Van Den Heede (FRA) Rustler 36 Matmut
• Abhilash Tomy (IND) Suhaili replica Thuriya
• Gregor McGuckin (IRE) Biscay 36 Hanley Energy Endurance
• Mark Sinclair (AUS) Lello 34 Coconut
• Kevin Farebrother (AUS) Tradewind 35 Sagarmatha
• Ertan Beskardes (GBR) Rustler 36 Lazy Otter
• Philippe Péché (FRA) Rustler 36 PRB

Background:
The 2018 Golden Globe Race will start from Les Sables d’Olonne on Sunday July 1, 2018. The event marks the 50th anniversary of the Sunday Times Golden Globe solo non-stop round the world Race in 1968-69 when rules then allowed competitors to start from ports in northern France or UK between June 1st and October 31st.

A notable twist to 2018 Golden Globe Race format is how entrants are restricted to using the same type of yachts and equipment that were available in that first race, with the premise being to keep the race within financial reach of every dreamer.

Event details – Entry list – Facebook

Source: GGR