Exercise Transglobe steps up a gear

Tri-Services circumnavigation plans are confirmed as Navy, Army and Air Force personnel prepare to pit their wits against the elements and each other

• 3 x 67ft yachts
• 12 crew changes
• 14 crew members per yacht
• 500 service personnel in total
• 12 months
• 13 legs
• 33,980 nautical miles

Three 67ft steel hulled yachts named Adventure, Challenger and Discoverer and crewed by Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force personnel, will set off from a start gate off Southsea Castle at 1300 hours on the 11th July 2009, to undertake an adventurous sail training exercise that will circumnavigate the globe under the banner Exercise TRANSGLOBE. There are 13 legs being sailed with crew changes on most legs, allowing over 500 service personnel to experience the thrills, spills and chills of ocean sailing.

Organised by the Joint Service Adventurous Sail Training Centre (JSASTC) in Gosport, Exercise TRANSGLOBE has the Royal Patronage of HRH The Duke of York, and the full support of the Service Chiefs.

The aim of TRANSGLOBE is to provide members of all three British Armed Forces with the opportunity to develop their personal qualities and team skills in a challenging environment that will test their physical and mental stamina, their courage and help them develop self confidence and powers of leadership. Every other leg is being used as an adventurous training exercise whilst the emphasis on the other legs will be to encourage a spirit of Corinthian competition between the Services.

It is 11 years since the last tri-services Transglobe sailing event took place and the boats used then were Nicholson 55s. Offshore sailing is arguably the most demanding environment in which anyone can test their mental and physical toughness by getting the best out of their boat to arrive safely at their destination.

High ranking service personnel will be mucking in with their new recruits

Things are really starting to hot up as the final crew allocations are being made and the route and dates have been confirmed. Those taking part span all ages, gender and rank and range from very senior high ranking service personnel to raw recruits who may have only joined up a few weeks prior to setting off on their respective stage along the route.

The route planning has positioned the yachts so that offshore racing crews can represent their respective Services in the prestigious Rolex Sydney - Hobart Race starting in December 2009 (Leg 6) and Antigua Race Week (Leg 10) in April 2010 during which they will be competing against the cream of the world’s professional and amateur yacht racing fraternity.

The qualifier for the Sydney-Hobart Race will be a tri-service offshore race using the three TRANSGLOBE yachts in May 2009. This is when the Joint Services Sailing Associations will be selecting their racing crews.

Everyone on board these three yachts will experience the highs and lows of long ocean passages and landfall in some of the most exciting cities in the world. The route includes two long Southern Ocean legs, the longest of which includes a rounding of Cape Horn.

Help for Heroes and the Wounded Warrior Programme

Of particular note is Leg 11 in May 2010 between Antigua and Charleston where each yacht will include service personnel recovering from wounds received in recent military operations and some medical support staff, all from Hedley Court and the Help for Heroes initiative. Individuals may have lost limbs in combat but they are determined to prove themselves as effective members of their respective crews in all respects. On arrival at Charleston they will be conducting joint land based Adventurous Training with members of the US Forces Wounded Warrior programme.

The Race will re-affirm to members of the Armed Forces and the wider public that the Armed Forces are committed to the personal development of every sailor, soldier and airman regardless of rank or gender to reach their full potential. It will also serve as a demonstration of the superb Adventurous Training opportunities and facilities available to all service personnel throughout their careers.

Funding

Service personnel are paying towards the operational running costs of this event and organisers are looking for financial support to help defray the high cost of airfares for the crews to the various ports of call around the world. The Project Team is providing the opportunity for the companies to support the event by becoming Corporate Patrons.

Two Corporate Patrons already on board are the official technical clothing supplier, Gill and also Crewsaver. This will be a tough exercise with extremes of weather, from severe gales in the Southern Ocean to the heat and humidity of the tropics, so Gill will be providing each crew member with the very best gear available. Gill’s Chairman, Nick Gill, is doing some serious R&D on behalf of his company during two of the stages, including racing in the Sydney-Hobart; that’s true dedication to the cause! However, over and above the provision of the all-important clothing and safety kit, the project is still requiring significant funding to help cover crew travel costs in particular.

For further details and to keep up with all the latest news, log on to the Exercise TRANSGLOBE website.