Calling for round the world veterans

Published on July 12th, 2023

Veterans of the Whitbread Round the World Race and Volvo Ocean Race are invited to attend a 50th anniversary party of the first race in 1973 being planned for the Ocean Globe Race Village in Southampton, UK. The 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race starting on September 10 is a newly conceived fully crewed, retro race for equipment similar to what had originally been used.

Hosted by McIntyre Adventure and sponsored by Boatshed.com, the program offers an evening of drinks, guest speakers, historic footage and mingling with 2023 OGR crews. It’s a chance for veterans to relive their former glories and rub shoulders with ‘old’ crewmates and rivals.

A second, bigger reunion is planned for host port Auckland at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and should prove popular, thanks to the city’s rich history with the Whitbread dating back to 1977 and the huge number of Kiwi Whitbread sailors.

“This will certainly be a highlight of the OGR celebrations and already whole ex-Whitbread teams have confirmed for the party and to watch the start,” said Don McIntyre, OGR founder and Race Director. “For them it is sure to rekindle strong emotions from their past adventures. If you are a veteran contact us for an invitation.”

The Ocean Globe Race is in keeping with the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread, where ‘ordinary’ sailors compete with sextants, paper charts, and without phenomenal budgets, foils, and computers. This return to non-GPS days seeks to promote real people, real adventures, and a real chance to witness what determination and human spirit can achieve.

Event information – Race rules – Entry list

The 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race (OGR) is a fully crewed, retro race, in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, marking the 50th Anniversary of the original event. Starting in Southampton (UK) on September 10, the OGR is a 27,000-mile sprint around the Globe, divided into four legs that passes south of the three great Capes. The fleet is divided in three classes with stop-overs in Cape Town, South Africa; Auckland, New Zealand; and Punta del Este, Uruguay before returning to Southhampton in April 2024.