Closure comes for 2022-23 Golden Globe

Les Sables d’Olonne, France (June 15, 2023) – The final finisher for the 2022-23 Golden Globe race arrived to officially complete the third edition of this around the world race which began when 16 sailors set out from Les Sables d’Olonne on September 4.

Armed only with sextant, paper charts, radios and their own determination to follow a dream, the solo skippers faced fear, incredible deprivations and hardships in which only three completed the challenge.

Jeremy Bagshaw (RSA) in Chichester class officially closed the GGR when he arrived today after 277 days at sea. It was an excruciating finish for him, following 24 days of headwinds with a broken forestay. When 400 metres from the finish, he was becalmed and the current took him back to sea. He finally crossed the line six hours later with no food or water.

Bagshaw had an excellent start in the North Atlantic, battling an impressive duel with Guy Waites (GBR) who is expected to complete his circumnavigation early next week.

However, both sailors were plagued by barnacle invasion and started bleeding miles on the fleet after the Trindade Island rounding. Waites altered course and lifted Sagarmatha’s hull in Cape Town to scrape and antiful the hull, moving into Chichester Class (for skippers that require assistance).

Bagshaw moored Olleanna in False Bay facing his hometown of Simon’s Town to dive and manually scrape the dreaded barnacles for several days, thus preserving his status in the non-stop race.

After leaving South Africa, both sailors faced their race-defining moment forcing both to stop in Hobart, Tasmania. The shells came back on Olleanna’s hull with a vengeance in the Indian Ocean and Bagshaw, slow and low on water, was forced to stop in Hobart on January 16, therefore moving into Chichester Class.

Sagarmatha had very heavy weather in the Indian Ocean, and posted some of the best daily speeds of the fleet, but lost the life raft overboard in a storm, eventually stopping a second time in Hobart for Waites to pick-up a new raft, therefore out of the race but deciding to continue his circumnavigation.

Bagshaw pushed through in the Pacific Ocean encountering numerous storms that made him the GGR fleet record holder for the most days in foul weather. He rounded Cape Horn on March 17, 193 days after the start between two low pressure systems after days of bad weather, breaking his dodger and losing his inflatable danbuoy.

The barnacle-free Olleanna was doing good time in the Atlantic, with his plan to hold the unofficial record between Hobart and Les Sables d’Olonne well under way until May 19. That is when Olleanna’s stainless steel forestay fitting broke just as the wind turned East, straight into Jeremy’s face for 24 days.

Slow progress under staysail only meant Bagshaw soon ran out of food and water. He started using his emergency manual water maker, while eating his very last tin of food several days before his arrival. Never, however, did he run low on his signature, quirky, and sometimes dry sense of humor, making the best on what would have been a critical situation for many.

The Prize Giving Ceremony will be held June 24 in Les Sables d’Olonne, France.

Final Results:
Golden Globe Race:
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”

Chichester Class*:
1. Simon Curwen (63) / UK / Biscay 36 – “CLARA”
2. Jeremy Bagshaw (59) / South Africa / OE32 – “OLLEANNA”
* Competitors shift to this class by making one stop.

Event details – Entry list – Tracker – Facebook

Finish times were adjusted as race organizers issued credit for helping with the rescue of Tapio Lehtinen:
• Kirsten Neuschäfer: 35 hours + 30 litres of fuel
• Abhilash Tomy: 12hrs

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)
Ian Herbert Jones (52) / UK / Tradewind 35 – “PUFFIN” (rolled/dismasted northeast of Cape Horn, April 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.