Over 20 entries for Golden Globe 2022-23

The Golden Globe Race is a single-handed, non-stop round-the-world race, with no assistance, no GPS and no modern electronics on board. The third edition will start in 2022 when 23 sailors from all over the world get underway on September 4, navigating with a sextant only on boats types that reflect the origin of the race.

In the last edition, the competitors had to go around two compulsory rounding marks: Lanzarote and Hobart. This year, the course has been modified with two additional marks: Cape Town in South Africa and Punta del Este in Uruguay.

The skippers will be able to drop their recorded videos and photos at these four gates without getting in contact with anyone and without docking, allowing them to share their incredible adventure.

The fleet, representing 13 nations in boat types ranging from 32 to 36 feet, will follow in the footsteps of previous winners Jean-Luc Van Den Heede (2018-19) and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (1968-69). Knox-Johnston needed 312 days to finish, followed 50 years later by Van Den Heede winning the race in 211 days.

Some returnees from the last edition will take up the challenge again, like Turkish sailor Ertan Beskardes or Finnish sailor Tapio Lehtinen, who finished 5th in the 2018-19 edition after 322 days at sea.

Australian Mark Sinclair, who was forced to stop in 2018, is currently sailing from Australia to France – finishing his one-stop circumnavigation in April this year just to embark again on a new round the world tour with the GGR 2022 in September.

The other entrants will experience the GGR for the first time, but are no less competitive. Most of them have already sailed around the world several times or have participated in the biggest offshore races: Mini Transat, Figaro, Open 60, Clipper 70…

Amongst them, Frenchman Damien Guillou will be racing under the banner of PRB, sponsor of two Vendée Globe winning campaigns.

Seven participants must cross at least one ocean to reach Les Sables d’Olonne: An adventure within the adventure. Preparing the boat for a round-the-world competition is already a challenge, but now they have to bring their boats to the right side of the Atlantic to make the start in Les Sables d’Olonne.

This is the case for Elliott Smith (USA), Gaurav Shinde (CAN), Guy deBoer (USA), Jeremy Bagshaw (RSA), Matthew Wright (AUS), Kirsten Neuschäfer (RSA) and Mark Sinclair (AUS).

Eleven of the 23 skippers have arrived in Les Sables d’Olonne for briefings and work sessions that include boat preparations, rules, safety, mental and physical preparation – nothing is left to chance.

Event details – Entry list – Facebook

About the 2022 Golden Globe Race
On September 4th, this year, the third edition of the Golden Globe Race will start from Les Sables d’Olonne, France. Twenty-three sailors from 13 countries will face eight months of isolation sailing 30,000 miles across five oceans solo non-stop and unassisted.

In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. He had entered the original Golden Globe. Nine men started that first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. He was 29 year old Sir Robin Knox Johnston. History was made. Navigating only with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world.

In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly gained traction with adventurers, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. Eighteen started with five finishers. To embrace the original race, boat types were restricted and sailors used only sextants, paper charts, wind up clocks, and cassette tapes for music.

Source: GGR