Storm delays Global Solo departure

The most crowded departure for the 2023-24 Global Solo Challenge had seven skippers lined up for departure on October 28, but with a weather forecast calling for the first night off Finisterre to have headwinds gusting over 40 knots and waves of 5-7 meters, the group all delayed their departure.

As the depression moved westward, Cole Brauer (USA) was the first to leave on the Class40 First Light. A quiet departure, still shrouded in the darkness of the night, she crossed the start line at 5:38 local time on October 29 to begin her round-the-world journey.

The other skippers preferred to wait for the early hours of the morning, with the dawn arriving an hour early as the clocks rolled back to standard time. All the sailors set out with a strong winds sail configuration: two-three reefs in the mainsail, and for some, a storm jib at the bow. Others opted for a jib, seeking more speed and power on the formidable ocean waves.

Race details – Entry list – Start times – Tracking

The inaugural Global Solo Challenge 2023-24 seeks to be a budget-friendly solo, non-stop race around the world. Using a pursuit format for the 2023-24 race, entrants from 34 to 70 feet will depart between August 26 to January 6 from A Coruña, Spain, with the first boat to return deemed the winner.