Jean-Luc Van Den Heede crowned at Golden Globe Race prizegiving
by Barry Pickthall, Golden Globe Race 23 Apr 2019 02:09 BST
Exactly 50 years to the day that Sir Robin Knox-Johnston returned to Falmouth UJK after 312 days at sea to become the first man to sail solo non-stop around the Globe, 73-year old Frenchman Jean-Luc Van Den Heede was crowned winner of the second Golden Globe Race in Les Sables d'Olonne, France.
And all but two of Van Den Heede's rivals made the pilgrimage to the Race finish port to applaud his performance in besting Sir Robin's original circumnavigation by 100 days aboard his Rustler 36 Matmut. 5th placed Finnish skipper Tapio Lehtinen is still more than 2,000 miles from the finish, but made a live satellite call broadcast to the thousands of spectators thronged the open-air seafront presentation. "I'm maximising on my entry fee for this race and enjoying every minute of the Race." he joked.
Sir Robin also joined the celebrations via a live link from Falmouth to congratulate everyone, saying that their efforts have inspired so many people around the world to challenge themselves in this and other adventures.
Prize winners:
Winner GGR 2018 Jean-Luc VDH (FRA) Matmut 211D 23H 12M
Suhaili timber perpetual model and trophy model
RALF TECH Winners' watch
BOATSHED.COM £5000 winners purse
2nd: Mark Slats (NED) Ohpen Maverick 216D 00H 18M
Trophy model of Suhaili
3rd: Uku Randmaa (EST) One and All 254D 18H 40M
Trophy model of Suhaili 1st Corinthian (Unsponsored) entry trophy
4th:Istvan Kopar (USA/HUN) 264D 01H 38M
Susie Goodall (GBR): Kay Kottee Trophy for First Woman in 2018 GGR
Tapio Lehtinen (FIN): McIntyre Adventure Spirit of GGR Trophy
2022 GGR
Already, 20 sailors from 10 Countries have signed up to compete in the next Golden Globe Race slated to start on 4th September 2022, and many more have expressed an interest to compete.
2022 GGR entrants to date:
1 John Clarke (47) GBR - Nicholson 32 MKX
2 Ian Herbert Jones (49) GBR - Tradewind 35
3 Guy Waites (52) GBR
4 Ertan Beskardes (57) GBR - Rustler 36
5 Simon Curwen (60) GBR - Biscay 36
6 Robin Davie (67) GBR - Rustler 36
7 Confidenial GBR
8 Arnaud Gaist (47) FRA Barbican 33 MKII (long keel version)
9 Confidential FRA
10 Guy deBoer (63) USA
11 Doug Dean JOHNSON (53) USA - Rustler 36
12 Matthew Wright (49) AUS
13 Michael Date (57) AUS Aries 32
14 Confidenial AUS
15 Michael Guggenberger (41) AUT - Endurance 35
16 Gaurav Shinde (32) CAN
17 Pat Lawless (62) IRE Saga 36
18 Guido Cantini (50) ITA Vancouver 34
19 Confidenial NZL - Rustler 36
20 Confidenial NOR
Total: 10 Country, 7 British, 3 Australian, 2 France, 2 American, 1 Austria, 1 Canada, 1 Irish, 1 Italy, 1 New Zealand, 1 Norway. 12 with Boats already."
Lessons learned from sailing small yachts in extreme conditions
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston also published his long awaited Report considering the tessons learned from sailing small yachts in extreme conditions including the 5 dismastings suffered during the 2018 GGR.
Click here to download the Report
Other competitors
Chichester Class
1. Igor Zaretskiy (RUS) Endurance 35 Esmeralda - stopped in Albany, W Australia
Retired
Ertan Beskardes (GBR) Rustler 36 Lazy Otter
Kevin Farebrother (AUS) Tradewind 35 Sagarmatha
Nabil Amra (PAL) Biscay 36 Liberty II
Philippe Péché (FRA) Rustler 36 PRB
Antoine Cousot (FRA) Biscay 36 Métier Intérim
Are Wiig (NOR) OE32 Olleanna
Abhilash Tomy (IND) Suhaili replica Thuriya
Gregor McGuckin (IRE) Biscay 36 Hanley Energy Endurance
Francesco Cappelletti (ITA) Endurance 35 007
Loïc Lepage (FRA) Nicholson 32 Laaland
Susie Goodall (GBR) Rustler 36 DHL Starlight
Mark Sinclair (AUS) Lello 34 Coconut