Golden Globe: Adversity hits early

(July 16, 2018; Day 16) – French leader Philippe Péché and his Rustler 36 PRB is being pushed hard by Dutch rival Mark Slats (Ophen Maverick) as the Golden Globe Race fleet enjoy glorious trade wind conditions on the run south towards the Cape Verde Islands.

Along with third placed French veteran Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, 30 miles astern of the leading pair, the top three are all racing identical Rustler yachts and have been touching speeds of 8 knots at times under spinnakers overnight.

Are Wiig is also doing extremely well in fourth position considering the Norwegian is sailing one of the smallest of these traditional yachts, the OE 32 double-ender Olleanne. But Wiig has not avoided adversity having already blown out a spinnaker.

One of the biggest winners during this second week at sea since leaving Les Sables d’Olonne on July 1 is Irishman Gregor McGuckin and his Biscay 36 Hanley Energy Endurance. He has moved up from 10th to 5th place in recent days and is clearly making most from the extra sail area that his ketch rigged boat can carry in these steady down-wind conditions.

The field of 17 solo non-stop around the world yacht racers has been reduced to 14 competitors with the latest retirement of Australian mountaineer and adventurer Kevin Farebrother who pulled out of the Race yesterday, disillusioned by solo sailing and lack of sleep.

“I’m not cut out for solo sailing,” said Farebrother, a former Paratrooper who has made three successful assents up Mt Everest. He told race organisers he could not contemplate sleeping below decks. “For me it is like getting into the back seat of a moving car to sleep when no-one is at the wheel. As a result, I’ve had very little sleep over the past two weeks…My boat is now for sale!”

Also there are Antoine Cousot, Istvan Kopar and Nabil Amra who have been struggling with faulty wind vane self steering equipment.

For Cousot, the problems had become so overwhelming that he decided to pull in to Marina Rubicon to make assisted repairs, sacrificing his place in the Golden Globe Race. As a result, the Frenchman is the first to be demoted to the Chichester Class for those who make one stop during this solo circumnavigation. He hopes to have his Biscay 36 Métier Intérim back at sea by tonight.

Kopar, the USA/Hungarian sailing the Tradewind 35 Puffin who is using the same WindPilot system as Cousot, has not yet found a solution. “I can’t even go down below to use the heads [toilet] without the boat going out of control. I have been hand steering since the start and have no energy for anything else. This is the big issue and the biggest challenge will be trying to control the boat in the Southern Ocean. That is really scary. I’m sure I’ll be knocked down several times. If it wasn’t for my sponsors, I would give up.”

One consoling thought is that Sir Robin Knox-Johnston suffered similar problems 50 years ago and was forced to hand steer for two-thirds of his solo non-stop circumnavigation in his yacht Suhaili. “Robin did it, so I will give it a go too,” he said stoically as he sailed through the Marina Rubicon gate in last place to chase after the fleet.

Nabil Amra, the USA/Palestinian entrant sailing the Biscay 36 Liberty II has even worse problems. A weld on his French made Beaufort self-steering failed early this morning and is now faced with either putting in to an African port or sailing back upwind to the Canaries to affect repairs and join Cousot in the Chichester class.

The next compulsory turning gate is off Hobart, Tasmania.

Event details – Entry list – Tracker – Facebook

Background:
The 2018 Golden Globe Race started for 17 skippers from Les Sables d’Olonne on Sunday July 1, 2018, with the inaugural solo non-stop around the world yacht race expected to take 9-10 months to complete.

The event marks the 50th anniversary of the Sunday Times Golden Globe solo non-stop round the world Race in 1968-69 when rules then allowed competitors to start from ports in northern France or UK between June 1st and October 31st.

A notable twist to 2018 Golden Globe Race format is how entrants are restricted to using the same type of yachts and equipment that were available in that first race, with the premise being to keep the race within financial reach of every dreamer.

The rules allow for one breach of the strict solo, non-stop un-assisted circumnavigation without the aid of modern electronic navigation aids regulations that make this Race unique. However, those that do gain assistance move down to the Chichester Class as if, like Sir Francis Chichester in 1966-67, they have made one stop during their solo circumnavigation.

Those who breach the rules for a second time are deemed to have retired from the GGR Event and the organisers have no responsibility or obligation to them.

Source: GGR