Golden Globe Entrants sail halfway around the world, to start in Les Sables d’Olonne!

# Kirsten Neuschäfer sails 14,000 miles solo to the start of the 2022 GGR
# Mark Sinclair is about to round Cape Horn as the last entrant in the 2018 GGR
# GGR Entrants Conference is set for March 9th in Les Sables d’Olonne, six months before the start
# Lutz Kohne appointed Assistant Race Director of the GGR

South African Kirsten Neuschäfer, the only woman in the Golden Globe, recently completed her GGR refit in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, and is about to arrive home in Cape Town after an 8,000-mile solo non-stop sea trail, before heading 6,600 miles back to France.

Kirsten is a professional sailor, with over 200,000 miles of ocean experience, working with Skip Novak in remote, often hostile places in the Arctic and Antarctic. She chose the Cape George 36 design due to its long waterline, stability, seaworthiness, and generous rig. She discovered one in Canada. She had planned to bring the boat to Maine (U.S.) for refit, but Covid restrictions made that trip impossible. By chance, she found incredible support from the Prince Edward Island community, including local tradesman Eddie Arsenault, who managed the refit, rebuilding “Minnehaha” 100% for the grueling race ahead.

“I came as an outsider to Prince Edward Island. From the moment I arrived, I’ve only been treated with such kindness and generosity.” said Kirsten “People in the community have taken a genuine interest in this project.”

With the one-year refit completed, she set sail towards South Africa in early December 2021, crossing the Equator just before the New Year, then rounding Trindade Island to port and sailing the GGR 2022 course towards her homeport of Cape Town. This 8,000-mile voyage brings immense knowledge of her boat and huge gratitude in her heart, for her new friends in Canada.

Kirsten will arrive in Cape Town in the next few days and stop for just a few weeks to say “HI!” to family, friends and to check on sponsors with her team. She then sets sail on another solo, non-stop, 6,500 miles voyage, to the start in Les Sables d’Olonne, France. Kirsten will be a sailor to watch! She is at one with the ocean, as was Jean Luc VDH, winner of the 2018 GGR.

Follow Kirsten on her website https://kirstenggr.com

Australian Oceanographer Mark Sinclair is about to round Cape Horn sailing his Lello 34 “Coconut” halfway around the world, in order to finish his 2018 GGR. He set sail from Adelaide on December 5th 2021, bound for Les Sables d’Olonne, officially re-joining the GGR 2018 edition. Previously, he had to stop in Adelaide after completing only half the Race. The 2018 GGR had no finishing time, and Mark only made the one-stop, so can re-join under the “Chichester Class”. Mark has also entered the 2022 Golden Globe, so this return voyage adds a wealth of Southern Ocean experience and also brings him and his boat to the start of this third edition. He will be a strong contender to finish the 2022 edition.

“I am first and foremost a mariner, so my number one objective is not to be rescued and get around under my own power.” said Mark Sinclair “I will be more competitive in the next Golden Globe, having built huge experience and faith in my trusty little ‘Coconut’.“

Follow Mark Sinclair on https://www.facebook.com/CoconutGGR/

The final Golden Globe Entrants Conference has been scheduled for March 9 / 10, in Les Sables d’Olonne. It was hoped all 25 entrants around the World would assemble together for the first time, but COVID restrictions mean only 12 will be present. It is an important meeting of minds, full of passion, and marks the final countdown to the start just six months later. All entrants are either trying to complete refits and get sailing, or are currently out sailing and gaining important sea miles. As a minimum, entrants must have at least 8,000 ocean miles and another 2,000 solo sailing experience, followed by a final 2,000 solo miles in the boat as set up for the GGR, sailed with windvane and sextant only.

“The pressure is building for a few entrants as start day gets closer, and COVID challenges have delayed refits, increased cost and made sponsors harder to find.” said race Founder Don McIntyre “We’ve seen a few entrants retire in the last six months, and I think there will be a couple more soon, but that’s the reality of the Golden Globe – Getting to the start is half the battle!”

Lutz Kohne, 25 y.o. from Germany joins the GGR team in Les Sables d’Olonne and has been appointed Assistant Race Director. Lutz is an experienced sailor and Yachtmaster, and has worked on several events with McIntyre Adventure last year. He will liaise with the skippers and their teams on safety requirements and all compliance issues, leading to final safety inspections prior to the start. He will also provide German commentary during the Race. As the GGR team strengthens, the organizers are working to further improve coverage on GGR 2022 and bring to the French and international public, new and exclusive ways to share the spirit of the Golden Globe.

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The BOSS is on Holidays and the “A” team is taking over!!!

Don McIntyre, founder of the Golden Globe, Ocean Globe and Mini Globe Races is about to go sailing, as the first ever Globe 5.80 Transat is about to get underway.

Dateline: Lagos, Portugal Thursday the 28th of Oct 2021

A MESSAGE FROM DON:
In 2014 while adventuring in the Kingdom of Tonga, the idea of the www.GoldenGlobeRace.com evolved. For the past 40 years I have been enjoying a new adventure every four or five years and this GGR was to be my next solo circumnavigation. It turned out to be an EXTREME Adventure, but I did not sail, instead organising and managing that event with Jane. Then came the www.OceanGlobeRace.com and now the www.MiniGlobeRace.com and www.ClassGlobe580.com One Design Mini Ocean racing yachts.

Jane and I are proud of the many sailors around the world who are passionate about these new and completely unique events. They are excited about the opportunity to follow challenging dreams through our races. While our management teams and budgets are small, our results speak for themselves because of our growing family of followers, participants and volunteers.

In the next few days, I finally get back to an adventure for me. I am going on holiday for two months and signing off! Jane, Aida, Sébastien, Nick, Melissa, Lutz and others will take over while I am gone. They are the amazing “A” team (“A” for Adventure!) I should be back just before Xmas (Touch wood!)

I will race “TREKKA” my Globe 5.80 Mini solo across the Atlantic in the www.Globe580Transat.com I first sail 600 miles from Marina Lagos in Portugal, to Marina Rubicon, Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. This is my first real sail getting to know my Mini. On Nov. 18th I then Race with five other entrants 3000 miles to Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean. I am the only one in the “SENIORS” Class. I LOVE TREKKA and watching 170 builders in 27 countries preparing to race their Mini’s around the world, or around the bay is very cool!

How and why did we get to be running three Around the World Races and launching the fastest growing Mini Class in the world?? I have no idea? Other than that, they are all things I want to do as a sailor and I am not that different from many sailors around the world.

How will it all run while the Boss is away??? Well, you may be surprised to learn that while I am very hands on with event development and concepts, there is actually a Succession Plan for all events for the future. Every event is now bigger than me! We have a growing level of acceptance and understanding of the principal concepts of these Races. The GGR, OGR and MGR are very unique in their simplicity and drive forward through the passion of all involved. The A team knows what they are doing! All events run on a four-year cycle and we are already locked in with forward planning until 2031!

I look forward to seeing you all in Boot Dusseldorf show late January 2022! McIntyre Adventure will be exhibiting and I am sure I will have a few holiday stories to tell. Work life balance is important and everything I do has to be fun, or why do it. That is the policy of the “A” team as well. Whatever you need, call them! See you soon and thanks for joining the ADVENTURE.

We will set sail at 12:00 UTC this coming Sunday, 31th of October from Lagos, Portugal. You could follow the Globe 5.80 Transat website here and live traker here. The start will also be on Facebook page here. Class Globe 580 Transat Latest Update Video could check here…

OH and yes, I have two satellite phones on TREKKA…just in case they need to call….Life hey!!

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One year prior to the September 2022 start of the Golden Globe Race, Don McIntyre and the GGR team were joined by Les Sables d’Olonne, home port of the race and European capital of solo-sailing at the Southampton boat show.

Being in the UK one year prior to the start of the race was important for us. It is the perfect place to meet old friends such as Sir Chay Blyth; and the GGR 2022 not unlike the original edition has many British skippers as the largest contingent, including serious contenders for victory!

Don McIntyre – GGR Founder & Chairman

Les Sables d’Olonne and the Golden Globe Race held a media briefing, featuring British entrants David Scott Cowper, Simon Curwen, Ian Herbert Jones and Robin Davie covering the most recent developments of the race.

Six-time solo circumnavigator, 79-year-old David Scott Cowper from Britain was excited to meet other entrants for the first time and discuss his Tradewind 35 refit. GGR Founder Don McIntyre has been a close friend of David for the past 42 years and is impressed by David‘s plans and preparation. If he finishes the GGR he may become the oldest circumnavigator to race around the world.

Another UK entrant and three times solo circumnavigator Robin Davie just returned from two years trapped in the US because of Covid, happy to be reunited with his yacht and able to continue work on it. All entrants are watching the clock closely.

Les Sables d’Olonne, home port of the GGR are joining efforts with the Conseil Départemental de la Vendée, and the Conseil Régional des Pays de la Loire for a larger GGR village, opening on August 22nd, 2022 filled with animations and events.

Round the world legend Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has accepted to become the patron of the Golden Globe Race going forward, bringing his enthusiasm and expertise to the race and entrants.

Do not expect the challenge to be easy. Once you leave the friendly and safe port of Les Sables, you are on your own for 200 or more days without companionship or support. But if it were easy, where would be the challenge. It is from achieving the really difficult that true satisfaction is to be found.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston

A Virtual Golden Globe Race will be available to the public, with unique features such as celestial navigation, mandatory off-watch time, and random ocean racing issues to get close to the real thing without being cold and wet.

The Golden Globe is about real human stories but Virtual Sailing is a new sport. We have partnered with Realsail to develop a world-first Virtual Golden Globe game that is like nothing seen before: the VGG Race uses celestial navigation with real-time live stars visuals, skippers experience real breakdowns and sail problems, only sailing with windvanes and declaring when they are asleep and not under command. This will be the longest running virtual race in the world, it will sail with the real GGR fleet in real-time weather. It is tough!

Don McIntyre

Media outreach has been improved with 4 tweets a day per skipper, a 15-minute satellite recorded interview and bi-weekly exclusive media interviews, in addition to the film drop interviews in the Canary Island, Cape Town, Tasmania and Punta del Este.

The Joshua Class has been dropped from the 2022 GGR, but a new opportunity for entrants to BUILD a Joshua One Design replica to race in the 2026 GGR has been announced. Entrants will buy a CNC steel cutting file to start building their JOSHUA.

Frenchman Sébastien Delasnerie has been appointed Race Director.

Coming from IRC and one-design offshore racing, I applaud the return of retro-sailing on older but sturdy designs, putting sailors and seamanship back at the centre of the performance. The profiles and experience of entrants are diverse but their level of preparation is remarkable, and their enthusiasm second to none.

Sébastien Delasnerie

Captain Coconut, Mark Sinclair who stopped halfway during the 2018 GGR due to a lack of water and barnacles, can under the Notice of Race continue the race in Chichester Class. Mark will now set sail from Adelaide once again on December 5th this year, exactly three years since he stopped racing, and sail directly to Les sables d’Olonne solo, and non-stop to finish his GGR2018! He will then start again in the 2022 GGR!

Asked why Les Sables d’Olonne have increased their support to the GGR and are joined by broader local and regional councils, Yannick Moreau, Mayor of Les Sables d’Olonne and President of the Agglomeration declared:

Les Sables d’Olonne is the stage for the most prestigious sailing competitions. A magnificent setting and infrastructures to host and experience the greatest of maritime adventures. In Les Sables d’Olonne, we live for the sea ; and we are proud to share it with the world. Our companies, clubs and associations are wholly committed to the excellence and influence of our sailing networks.

While an incredible edition of the Vendée Globe has just come to an end, our town is now getting ready to bring you the next unmissable events in single-handed ocean racing. With the Mini-Transat, the first of which will take place, now, in September, the Vendée Arctic and the Golden Globe Race, which will be held in 2022, the spirit of the Sablais and the Vendée region will continue to spread inspiration across the oceans.

Yannick Moreau

If you missed the GGR team at the Southampton Boat Show, you can still catch them in Le Grand Pavois La Rochelle from 28/09 to 03/10, Le Nautic Paris in December and Boot Dusseldorf early next year, or in Les Sables d’Olonne any other day!

Monday 20th of September 2021

One year prior to the September 2022 start of the Golden Globe Race, Don McIntyre and the GGR team were joined by Les Sables d’Olonne, home port of the race and European capital of solo-sailing at the Southampton boat show.

“Being in the UK one year prior to the start of the race was important for us” said Don McIntyre the GGR Founder & Chairman, “It is the perfect place to meet old friends such as Sir Chay Blyth; and the GGR 2022 not unlike the original edition has many British skippers as the largest contingent, including serious contenders for victory!”

Les Sables d’Olonne and the Golden Globe Race held a media briefing on their stand in Ocean Hall 2 stand J158, featuring British entrants David Scott Cowper, Simon Curwen, Ian Herbert Jones and Robin Davie covering the most recent developments of the race.

Six-time solo circumnavigator, 79-year-old David Scott Cowper from Britain was excited to meet other entrants for the first time and discuss his Tradewind 35 refit. GGR Founder Don McIntyre has been a close friend of David for the past 42 years and is impressed by David‘s plans and preparation. If he finishes the GGR he may become the oldest circumnavigator to race around the world.

Another UK entrant and three times solo circumnavigator Robin Davie just returned from two years trapped in the US because of Covid, happy to be reunited with his yacht and able to continue work on it. All entrants are watching the clock closely.

Les Sables d’Olonne, home port of the GGR are joining efforts with the Conseil Départemental de la Vendée, and the Conseil Régional des Pays de la Loire for a larger GGR village, opening on August 22nd, 2022 filled with animations and events.

Round the world legend Sir Robin Knox Johnston has accepted to become the patron of the Golden Globe Race going forward, bringing his enthusiasm and expertise to the race and entrants.

“Do not expect the challenge to be easy.”, Sir Robin said, “Once you leave the friendly and safe port of Les Sables, you are on your own for 200 or more days without companionship or support. But if it were easy, where would be the challenge. It is from achieving the really difficult that true satisfaction is to be found”.

A Virtual Golden Globe Race will be available to the public, with unique features such as celestial navigation, mandatory off-watch time, and random ocean racing issues to get close to the real thing without being cold and wet.

“The Golden Globe is about real human stories but Virtual Sailing is a new sport” added Don. “We have partnered with Realsail to develop a world-first Virtual Golden Globe game that is like nothing seen before: the VGG Race uses celestial navigation with real-time live stars visuals, skippers experience real breakdowns and sail problems, only sailing with windvanes and declaring when they are asleep and not under command. This will be the longest running virtual race in the world, it will sail with the real GGR fleet in real-time weather. It is tough!”

Media outreach has been improved with 4 tweets a day per skipper, a 15-minute satellite recorded interview and bi-weekly exclusive media interviews, in addition to the film drop interviews in the Canary Island, Cape Town, Tasmania and Punta del Este.

The Joshua Class has been dropped from the 2022 GGR, but a new opportunity for entrants to BUILD a Joshua One Design replica to race in the 2026 GGR has been announced. Entrants will buy a CNC steel cutting file to start building their JOSHUA.

Frenchman Sébastien Delasnerie has been appointed Race Director. “Coming from IRC and one-design offshore racing, I applaud the return of retro-sailing on older but sturdy designs, putting sailors and seamanship back at the centre of the performance. The profiles and experience of entrants are diverse but their level of preparation is remarkable, and their enthusiasm second to none”

Captain Coconut, Mark Sinclair who stopped halfway during the 2018 GGR due to a lack of water and barnacles, can under the Notice of Race continue the race in Chichester Class. Mark will set sail from Adelaide once again on December 5th, three years since he stopped racing, directly to Les sables d’Olonne solo, and non-stop to finish his GGR2018!

Asked why Les sables d’Olonne have increased their support to the GGR and are joined by broader local and regional councils, Yannick Moreau, Mayor of Les Sables d’Olonne and President of the Agglomeration declared:

“Les Sables d’Olonne is the stage for the most prestigious sailing competitions. A magnificent setting and infrastructures to host and experience the greatest of maritime adventures. In Les Sables d’Olonne, we live for the sea ; and we are proud to share it with the world. Our companies, clubs and associations are wholly committed to the excellence and influence of our sailing networks”.

He added “While an incredible edition of the Vendée Globe has just come to an end, our town is now getting ready to bring you the next unmissable events in single-handed ocean racing. With the Mini-Transat, the first of which will take place, now, in September, the Vendée Arctic and the Golden Globe Race, which will be held in 2022, the spirit of the Sablais and the Vendée region will continue to spread inspiration across the oceans.”

If you missed the team at the Southampton Boat Show, you can still catch us in Le Grand Pavois La Rochelle from 28/09 to 03/10, Le Nautic Paris in December and Boot Dusseldorf early next year, or in Les Sables d’Olonne any other day!

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Media Alert & Invitation

UK PRESS Conference 2023 OCEAN GLOBE RACE and on other days separate Media briefings for 2022 Golden Globe Race, 2024 Mini Globe Race, 2021 Globe 5.80 Transat and World Premier of Class Globe 5.80 Mini at the Southampton Boat show.

UK PRESS Conference 2023 OCEAN GLOBE RACE

WHAT?…Don McIntyre, Founder and Chairman of the 2023 Ocean Globe Race, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the first Whitbread race with host Alec Wilkinson invites you to….

The first UK Ocean Globe Race Press conference in the company of Sir Chay Blyth, Other Whitbread veterans and OGR entrants Annie O’Sullivan UK (Skipper of Tracy Edward‘s Maiden) Dominique Dubois France (Multiplast owner Swan 651), Tapio Lehtinen Finland (Whitbread veteran and final finisher 2018 GGR and entrant in 2022 GGR Swan 55) James Tomlinson USA(with father and Whitbread veteran Rick Tomlinson Swan 59) Isabelle Andrieu Italy (Translated 9, Previous Adc Accutrac Swan 65) Team Spirit of Adelaide, Australia ( Baltic 55), Chris Watts UK (Swan 65).

WHEN? … Friday Sept. 10th at 1300hrs (EXACTLY two years from the OGR Start on Sept 10th 2023)

WHERE? … Southampton International Boat Show 2021, Mayflower Park, Southampton, Hampshire, SO15 1HJ, on the Foredeck stage, east to the Ocean Hall.

HOW?… On the Ocean Globe Race Facebook LIVE if unable to attend in person, or with Tickets from Jane@OceanGlobeRace.com for media without accreditation. (www.OceanGlobeRace.com )

MEDIA Briefing Golden Globe Race

WHAT? … 2022 Golden Globe Race briefing by Don McIntyre & Media CEO Melissa Payne, in the company of Entrants, David Scott Cowper UK, Ian Herbert Jones UK, Simon Curwen UK, Guy Waites UK and the others…

WHEN? … Thursday Sept. 16th at 1400Hrs (One year from the start on Sept 4th 2022.)

WHERE? … ON the Les Sables d’Olonne and Golden Globe Race exhibit, Ocean Hall 2, stand J158.

HOW?… On Golden Globe Race Facebook Live if unable to attend in person, or with tickets from Jane@GoldenGlobeRace.com for media without accreditation. ( www.GoldenGlobeRace.com )

MEDIA Briefing Class Globe 5.80 Mini

WHAT? …Don McIntyre founder of the Class Globe 5.80 Mini Ocean racer, invites you to the World Premier and inspection of Hull Number 46, of this exciting new class of amateur-built plywood epoxy, safe, fun and affordable yachts. News on the first McIntyre Adventure Globe 5.80 Transat starting in Lagos Portugal on October 31st this year and a rundown of the 2024 Mini Globe Race introducing the first 12 entrants joining the adventure.

WHEN? …Wednesday 15th Sept at 1400hrs.

WHERE? … On the Globe 5.80 Exhibit, Ocean Hall 2, Stand J159

HOW? … On Class Globe 5.80 Facebook Page if unable to attend in person, or with tickets from Jane@McIntyreAdventure.com for media without accreditation. (www.ClassGlobe580.com )

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