Captain Coconut Mark Sinclair sets sails from Australia to complete his 2018 GGR voyage back to Les Sables d’Olonne on the 5th of December

Captain Coconut Mark Sinclair sets sails from Australia to complete his 2018 GGR voyage back to Les Sables d’Olonne on the 5th of December, exactly three years after stopping in Adelaide

- Golden Globe Race 2022 skippers and organizers are busy at sea, in the sheds, or at the Paris Boat Show

- Skipper Michael Guggenberger completed his 2000 nautical miles qualifier from LSO to Lagos via Lanzarote non stop.

- Meet GGR 2018 winner Jean-Luc VDH and GGR 2022 skippers PRB’s Damien Guillou and others at the Les Sables Olonne Nautic Boat Show conference
 

With the new year around the corner and nine months before the start of the Golden Globe Race 2022, the skippers and organizers are keeping busy. While most boats get in the shed for their winter refit, some sailors prefer to spend time on the water.

Inside of Mark Sincliar's Lello 34 Coconut. Picture Credit：Coconut GGR

Mark Sinclair is setting off from Adelaide, Australia toLes Sables d’Olonne on the 5th of December, to finish his 2018 Golden Globe Race after 3-year hiatus. 

Also known as Captain Coconut, Mark, a former royal Australian Navy commander and an Ocean hydrographic surveyor, was a competitor in the 2018 GGR, doing well until barnacles and a diminishing water supply forced him to stop at his home port of Adelaide. 

Exactly three years after stopping in Adelaide, Sinclair will set of to complete his voyage,  under the 2018 GGR Notice of Race he could continue the race inChichester Class, aiming to become the 6th finisher of the 2018 Golden Globe Race.

A new bottom paint of Coconut before her 13,000 NM Journey. Picture Credit：Coconut GGR

“I have unfinished business with the GGR and several reasons to complete my voyage. I sailed the easy part of the course and want to have a go at the second one. It is an interesting route: one week to Tasmania, another week to New Zealand, before another 2 months to Cape Horn.” Mark told us from his home port ofAdelaide. “All sailors who finished the 2018 GGR had been around the world at least once, so this is a great preparation for the 2022 edition, rounding the Horn and bringing the boat back to Les Sables d’Olonne!”

You could follow Mark Sinclair’s 13,000 nm voyage here on his YB tracking page and his Facebook page: CoconutGGR.

GGR Founder and Chairman Don McIntyre is onboard his new office, a 5.80 meters boat Trekka crossing the Atlantic. Picture Credit: JJ/GGR 

GGR Founder and Chairman Don McIntyre is halfway through his 3000 nm Trans-Atlantic crossing with his 5.80 meters boat Trekka.

Don, who originally planned to sail in theGolden Globe Race 2018 but then had to withdraw, focus on running the event instead, now been getting plenty of sailing since leaving Lagos in November.  “I’m delighted to be back at sea!” McIntyre told us from his boat Trekka, “Give me wind I go fast, give me blue I go happy, give me warm I go naked, give me Trekka I go to Antigua.” One happy sailor for sure!

Meanwhile, the Austrian skipper Michael Guggenberger just finished his 2000 nautical miles qualifier started from Les Sables d’Olonne on his ketch-rigged Biscay 36 Nina. 

Michael Guggenberger 's ketch-rigged Biscay 36 Nina with full sails.  Picture Credit: Martin Kadlez 

Leaving Les Sables d’Olonne on the 6th of November, Michael crossed the Bay of Biscay down to the Canary Islands (Spain), non-stop, returning to Lagos to complete his qualifier with sailing total 2480 nautical miles.

“I am very pleased with this qualifier. This is my longest solo sail to date and the longest with my Biscay 36. I have learned a lot about myself and the boat.” Said by Guggenberger before setting off from Lagos on his way back to Les Sables.  “This trip made me more confident about my solo sailing abilities, sleep pattern, on-board routine, and validated a lot of technical choices I made this year.”

“Nina has stood the test with no major issue and will get a small makeover during the winter. I still need to work on the sail combination and trimming of my cutter rig, allowing 12 sails, and want to face heavier weather than I have so far."

GGR 2022 skippers at Les Sables d’Olonne press conference on the 7th of December at the Nautic Paris Boat Show from 11:00 to 12:30.

Les Sables d’Olonne, home port to the Vendée Globe, the Mini Transat and the Golden Globe has positioned itself as the world capital of solo ocean sailing. The city, Département de la Vendée and wider Pays de la Loire region are also a nautical powerhouse, home of major players of the industry, including Privilège Marine, Alubat, J Composite and of course Bénéteau.

Yannick Moreau, the mayor of Les sables d’Olonne invited GGR 2018 winnerJean-Luc Van Den Heede, GGR 2022 skippers such as PRB sponsored skipper Damien Guillou and GGR 2022 Race Director Sébastien Delasnerie to share their experience and present the changes for the 2022 edition of GGR to the media.

GGR2018 Prize Giving Stage! Left to Right: Yannick Moreau  ( mayor of Les sables d’Olonne ) , Jean Luc VDH (GGR 2018 Winner) and Don McIntyre (GGR Founder) Picture Credit: Christophe Favreau / GGR2018 

Other GGR 2022 skippers who will also present on the day are Arnaud Gaist andMarc Cambounet from France, Pat Lawless from Ireland and Simon Curwen from UK, they will available to meet the media, the public, and share their preparations leading to the start of the race, which is only nine months away. 

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About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

Cover photo Mark Sinclair 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! Picture Credit：Coconut GGR