Golden Globe in the North Atlantic

Published on March 31st, 2023

(March 31, 2023) – The Golden Globe Race has a battle raging for first home to Les Sables d’Olonne between Kirsten Neuschäfer (RSA) and Abhilash Tomy (IND). While Neuschäfer’s Cape George 36 Minnehaha has been holding the advantage, despite the boat struggling in light air amid the ICTZ, (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone), it now seems that Tomy’s Rustler 36 Bayanat has found a better course to the west.

Neuschäfer has been in light winds longer than any other sailor in the GGR fleet since entering the Atlantic. The situation is taking an emotional toll on the South African sailor, who is unaware that she’d been leading the fleet. More than barnacles or bowsprit issues, morale and the mind game is becoming the major issue on Minnehaha as Kirsten’s latest safety call suggests.

Tomy had lost ground on Neuschäfer in early February during a heavy storm when he waited several days for a weather window, heaving to, 700 miles off the coast of Chile to climb the mast and repair his damaged rig. But with all repairs finally sorted, and full water tanks now, super happy after months of rationing to 1 litre a day, the 2018 veteran is enjoying every bit of the way back as he shares in his safety call!

“I have some light winds,” noted Tomy. “After Fernando de Noronha I crossed the ICTZ and the wind shifted from east to west. I crossed it again with another wind shift and now for a third time, so the zone is definitely moving around. I see a ship every day, so they give me my position, so I stopped doing celestial navigation. They also give me weather updates but they’re nearly always wrong. Lutz’s LSO forecast is the best I’ve had so far!”

Bayanat is 450 miles NE from Fortaleza and just crossed the Equator on March 30, bringing the number of sailors in the Northern Hemisphere to three. Bayanat’s position seems to be favorable with narrower doldrums to cross, and some early winds at lower latitudes than where Minnehaha is positioned. Bringing more uncertainty to her leadership, the Rustler is a faster VMG boat upwind, pointing higher, and pushing less water.

Meanwhile in the Chichester Class, Simon Curwen (GBR) and his Biscay 36 Clara found a perfect mousehole in between the leaders and now is on the same ladder rung as the leaders.

“With the Rustler being favored in the last 10% of the course, Kirsten’s line hon ours are clearly compromised, but it’s Simon who may well be first of the fleet in Les Sables,” said Don McIntyre, GGR Founder and Race Chairman. “For 2026, entrants are rushing to put their hands on a (bloody) Rustler 36 but I always said that victory is a combination of boat design, faultless preparation, and sailing skills. Simon’s incredible come back on a Biscay 36 is a testament to exactly that.”

All three are expected to finish in four weeks.

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Credit for helping with rescue of Tapio Lehtinen:
• Kirsten Neuschäfer: 35 hours + 30 litres of fuel
• Abhilash Tomy: 12hrs

2022 GGR Class:
1. Kirsten Neuschäfer (39) / South Africa / Cape George 36 – “MINNEHAHA”
2. Abhilash Tomy (43) / India / Rustler 36 – “BAYANAT”
3. Michael Guggenberger (44) / Austria / Biscay 36 – “NURI”

2022 GGR Chichester Class:*
1. Simon Curwen (63) / UK / Biscay 36 – “CLARA” (will stop to repair windvane)
2. Jeremy Bagshaw (59) / South Africa / OE32 – “OLLEANNA” (stopped in Hobart to clean hull)
3. Ian Herbert Jones (52) / UK / Tradewind 35 – “PUFFIN” (use of safety electronics for stopover logistics)
* Competitors shift to this class by making one stop.

Retired
Edward Walentynowicz (68) / Canada / Rustler 36 (dropped out, Sept. 8)
Guy deBoer (66) / USA / Tashiba 36 (ran aground, Sept. 16)
Mark Sinclair (63) / Australia / Lello 34 (retired in Lanzarote, Sept. 22)
Pat Lawless (66) / Ireland / Saga 36 (retired in Cape Town, Nov. 9)
Damien Guillou (39) / France / Rustler 36 (retired in Cape Town, Nov. 14)
Ertan Beskardes (60) / UK / Rustler 36 (retired in Cape Town, Nov. 16)
Tapio Lehtinen (64) / Finland / Gaia 36 Masthead sloop (sank off Cape Town, Nov. 18)
Arnaud Gaist (50) / France / BARBICAN 33 MKII-long keel version (retired near Saint Helena, Dec. 9)
Elliott Smith (27) / USA / Gale Force 34 (retired, Dec. 20)
Guy Waites (54) / UK / Tradewind 35 (stopped in Cape Town to clean/paint hull; retired in Hobart after losing his liferaft, Feb. 10)

About the 2022 Golden Globe Race
On September 4, 2022, the third edition of the Golden Globe Race started from Les Sables d’Olonne, France. Sixteen skippers will face eight months of isolation sailing 30,000 miles before finishing in Les Sables d’Olonne. Along the route there are several marks of the course and media requirements.

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, competitors must sail in production boats between 32 and 36 feet overall and designed prior to 1988 that have a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. Additionally, sailors have limited communication equipment and can use only sextants, paper charts, wind up clocks, and cassette tapes for music.

Source: GGR

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