Please select your home edition
Edition
InsureMy leaderboard April May June 2025

Checking in with the 2018 Golden Globe Race

by David Schmidt 20 Aug 2018 17:30 BST July 1, 2018-May 12, 2019
Jean-Luc Van Den Heede's windward course down the eastern side of the South Atlantic towards the Cape of Good Hope has proved better than the longer traditional Trade Wind route favoured by Mark Slats, and the Frenchman now leads the Dutchman by 575 miles © Christophe Favreau / Matmut / PPL

Spend enough time covering Jules Verne Trophy attempts for the fastest fully crewed circumnavigation, attempts at setting a new solo circumnavigation records, or even the singlehanded Vendee Globe, and you get used to seeing the boats make a lot of VMG progress in between position updates. Miss a few of these reports, and, in the case of Francois Gabart sailing aboard his maxi trimaran Macif in 2017, when the brave young French skipper set the stunning solo circumnavigation time of just 42 days, 16 hours, 40 minutes and 35 seconds, and it wasn't uncommon to see hundreds and hundreds of miles of progress.

Not so with the 2018 Golden Globe Race (GGR 2018). This retro race seeks to replicate the 1968-1969 Golden Globe Race, which was the world's first solo circumnavigation race and an event where legends were minted and where the horribly misguided Donald Crowhurst found infamy.

A quick rewind for readers who are just tuning into this test of human character, problem-solving abilities and sheer gumption: The GGR 2018 was the brainchild of race organizer Don McIntyre, an Australian adventurer and highly experienced bluewater sailor who was interested in replacing technology with grit and character. McIntyre accomplished this by creating the 2018 Golden Globe Race, which requires that contestants use era-specific boats (read: full keels and skegs), sails and navigational tools (read: sextants, not GPS receivers), and while all skippers sail with an emergency kit containing a GPS and a sat phone, breaking the seal on this box instantly relegates a contestant to the race's Chichester Class, which is a second-tier race for teams that either break their emergency-kit seals or stop for outside help.

Eighteen teams from 13 countries departed from Les Sables-d'Olonne, France, on July 1, 2018, with the goal of sailing around the globe, leaving all of the great capes to port and returning to Les Sables-d'Olonne at the end of their adventure, which could easily consume the lion's share of a year. As of this writing, two skippers-Phillippe Peche (FRA; 57) and Antoine Cousot (FRA; 47)-have been demoted to the Chichester Class, while four skippers- Ertan Beskardes (UK; 57), Kevin Farebrother (AUS; 50), Francesco Cappelletti (ITL; 40) and Nabil Amra (PLE; 42)-have quit due to unforeseen circumstances.

The remaining 12 skippers are currently being led by Jean-Luc van den Heede (FRA; 73), sailing aboard Matmut, his Rustler 36, followed by Mark Slats (NED; 41), sailing aboard The Ohpen Maverick, also a Rustler 36, and Are Wiig (NOR; 58), sailing aboard Olleanna, his OE32. As of this writing (more than 50 days since the starting gun sounded), the leaders are approaching the Cape of Good Hope at a blistering 4-5 knots of VMG-not exactly the same pace that Gabart threw down on his record-setting run, but as pace that holds plenty of drama for the competing skippers.

For example, on August 11, Peche suffered problems with his steering assembly when his tiller parted ways in 50 knots of air, and while his vessel wasn't in immediate danger, he made a call to his partner on his satellite phone, instantly relegating him to the Chichester Class.

A few days later Peche reported his decision to sail to Cape Town to properly repair his steed.

"The situation is that Philippe is now in the Chichester Class as if he had made one stop," said McIntyre in an official GGR 2018 release. "So if he now pulls in to Cape Town that would be a second infringement and he would be out of the Race altogether. He can apply for a time penalty for the phone call and we will reconsider that, because as far as we can ascertain, he did not receive any materiel assistance other than psychological support. If successful, this would reinstate him in the GGR, and allow him to continue in the Chichester Class after he stops in Cape Town."

As of this writing, Peche's bow was pointed at Cape Town, but there has not been any official word about the status of his application for a time penalty.

So while it has taken a bit of time to adjust to the pace of the GGR 2018 and the fact that the race tracker doesn't show appreciable latitude or longitude changes with each new position report, there's no question that there's plenty of drama unfurling, especially now that there's some separation between boats, meaning that the leaders could be experiencing vastly different weather and conditions than the back-half stragglers.

Also, unlike most other distance races, the GGR 2018's leaderboard offers predicted metrics for when each skipper is expected back in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France, and, as of now, the tracker is reporting that van den Heede, sailing in the pole position, should cross the finishing line on February 3, 2019 at 20:49 hours, while poor Mark Sinclair (AUS; 60), who is currently riding the unenviable DFL seat, isn't expected back in Les Sables-d'Olonne until May 12, 2019 at 17:36 hours. Talk about a finishing line delta!

May the four winds blow you safely home,

David Schmidt, Sail-World.com North American Editor

Related Articles

Funding for clubs transforms sailing opportunities
During the latest RYA Participation Webinar we heard from UK clubs about their experiences During the latest RYA Participation Webinar we heard from a range of UK clubs, walking through their case studies, and then heard from experts in finance who talked us through the opportunities and pitfalls of acquiring funds. Posted on 26 Jun
A brief history of marine instrument networks
Hugh Agnew has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge One man who has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge, is Hugh Agnew, the Cambridge-educated mathematician who is one of the founders of A+T Instruments in Lymington, so I spoke to him to find out more... Posted on 25 Jun
Project FEAR turns southwards
Charity circumnavigation progress report from the Shetland Islands Last month I didn't even know that Muckle Flugga existed. Yet today, the very name of the island brought tears of emotion to my eyes, as I heard Jazz Turner scream it out in victory, in a video she took when passing the lighthouse. Posted on 22 Jun
The Big Bash
Every summer the tournament rolls into town. A short format of the game. Fun and excitement abound. Every summer the tournament rolls into town. Local and international players. A short format of the game, run over a relatively compact six-week season. Posted on 15 Jun
The oldest video footage of Kiel Week
A look back into our video archive at the Kieler Woche of the 60s and early 70s In our series of articles looking back in time through our video archive, we visit Germany. Kiel Week is been a crucial event on the world circuit, and here we look back at the Kieler Woche of the 60s and early 70s. Posted on 15 Jun
Jazz Turner's fundraising target is smashed
Already £30k raised for Sailability, so it's time to up the ante Jazz Turner has now passed the northern-most tip of Ireland and is on her way to the Shetland Islands, and at the same time her fundraising total of £30,000 has been smashed! Posted on 15 Jun
The X-Yachts Gold Cup Experience
A celebration of sailing, of X-Yachts and, most importantly of all, people Having just returned from Haderslev, Denmark - which is the home of X-Yachts and played host to the X-Yachts Gold Cup 2025 - I was left wondering if this was a racing event, a rally or a social celebration amongst close friends. Posted on 10 Jun
Jazz Turner is now nearing Ireland
Fundraising circumnavigation almost hits the £30k target after just 8 days afloat As at the 10th June Jazz is 8 days out from Brighton, and starting to near Ireland. Jazz had hoped to be further along than this, but the winds have been forcing her to stay close-hauled ever since she started. Posted on 10 Jun
The evolving world of sailing fabrics
The sport of sailing is evolving, and the clothing we wear is changing with it The sport of sailing is evolving, and the clothing we wear is changing with it. We see features such as impact protection becoming more commonplace, but there is a more subtle change happening with the fabric of the garments themselves. Posted on 4 Jun
Jazz Turner sets off around the British Isles
Wheelchair cast aside for a gruelling fundraising voyage for Sailability We have been following Jazz Turner on a quest to become the first female wheelchair user to complete a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the British Isles. Today she left Brighton Marina, velcro-ed to the windward side on the epic voyage. Posted on 2 Jun