- First yachts due at film gate 2000hrs UTC today Friday 16th with 10 boats through in the first 30 hours.

- Tapio Lehtinen andSimon Curwen at times just 2 miles apart racing hard for the lead and both something to prove, whileKirsten chases them, helming through the night driving hard.

- First indication of yacht designs showing performance differentials against the favourite Rustler 36.

- Guy deBoer near miss with fishing boat, gash leg, becomes fleet weather man.

- Damien driving hard and making gains on fleet following return to Les Sables d’Olonne.

-  Elliott Smith mast collar problems, many leaks and builds cockpit dodger underway.

Dateline: Lanzarote, Friday, 16th of September 2022

There has been plenty of drama as boats and sailors had their first shake-down in the Bay of Biscay a steadfast Pat Lawless (IRL) leading the way, Ertan Beskardes (UK) had an electrical short and later knocked himself out falling into the cockpit, Guy deBoer (USA) got seasick for the first time and lost all radio contact, race-favourite Damien Guillou (FR) was headed back to Les Sables d’Olonne with a broken windvane, unsure he could make the start line in time and Edward Walentynowicz (CAN) decided to retire for the race, pondering another participation in 2026.

Simon Curwen (UK) sailing HOWDENS leads the 2022 GGR and is pushing his Biscay 36 hard in the good conditions, using his Mini 6.50 skills and a well prepared simple light boat to good effect. Picture Credit: Josh Marr 

But what change a week makes!

Simon Curwen (UK) and Tapio Lehtinen (FIN) are now in a solid lead of the fleet, sailing close by and emulating each other into high daily mileage, Pat Lawless (Ireland) ,who made a fantastic start, got lost on his East option, letting the leaders escape, and allowing the western group of Abhilash Tomy (IND), Guy deBoer (USA) and Kirsten Neuschäfer (SA) to close in as the routes are converging 100 miles from the Lanzarote gate. 

Guy deBoer, who has been breaking blocks on a steady basis since the start, has narrowly avoided a collision with a fishing boat by 5 metres, as he tells in last Wednesday’s dramatic satellite phone call available on the GGR SOUNDCLOUD. Early last week investigating a strange noise while climbing out of the companionway, he was shocked to find a large green fishing boat dead ahead and rushed on the helm, cutting his leg in the process but avoiding collision by just 15ft. The captain was screaming from the bridge, unable to alter course. Guy then sailed straight across the towed fishing net fortunately not hooking up! During the confused seas of the first week he was thrown across the cabin and damaged his AIS detector alarm, so it did not respond. For some reason the fishing boat did not see his AIS transponder, nor call him on the VHF

GGR LIVE Tracker at 0800 UTC on Friday 16th as the fleet heads toward the Rubicon Marina Lanzarote film drop sail past. Coverage of each entrant on Facebook and YouTube LIVE. Picture Credit: GGR2022

Before Edward Walentynowicz retirement, he was giving weatherfax reports to the fleet. Guy whose leg is healing well, has now become the official weatherman for the fleet, sharing his Weatherwax info on the regular HF Radio buddy chats.

Elliott Smith (USA) reports an issue with his through deck mast collar packing, damaged in the first week allowing movement of his mast. He knows he must somehow repair it well before the grinding South Atlantic trades forward of the beam. He was happy about his companionway dodger built in the past few days and suggests it will help keep the spray out but has a constant leak from his hull deck rub rail he is trying to solve.

Unfazed by her average start and coming unscathed out of Biscay, Kirsten Neuschäfer has been posting impressive high average speeds, catching up, and now casting away from the chase group. It is clear that Minnehaha her Cape George 36 is quick, but Kirsten knows how to get her going: gennaker up and helms herself as much as she can to make up for lost ground. She is posting a spectacular come back in the forefront, as is Guy deBoer who is power reaching under an asymmetric spinnaker happy with the speed potential.

Elliot Smith (USA) at 27 is the youngest and least experienced in the fleet. He is challenged sorting toe rail leaks and damaged mast collar packing on his Gale Force 34, but is feeling good! Picture Credit: GGR2022 / Nora Havel

Kirsten’s Cape George 36and Guy deBoer’s Tashiba 36 are similar: maximum hull length, long waterline, heavy displacement and generous cutter rigged sail plan make for slightly higher speeds than their counterparts, although Abhilash Tomy’s Rustler 36 -a lighter, less powerful yacht perceived by many as having the best all-round performance is still holding them off, but until when? The Rustler 36 may not be the fastest boat in the fleet as many have believed since Jean-Luc Van Den Heede’s win in the 2018 GGR. Pat’s Saga 36 who showed great potential in the strong winds of the first week, seems less at ease in the current lighter winds. In front, Tapio’s Gaia 36 with fine entry, high ballast ratio, deep draft and low freeboard is shining through and through in all weathers and points of sail, whereas Simon Curwen’s Biscay 36 still manages to hold him off.

Damien Guillou (FR), also on a Rustler 36, is working hard on his comeback. Back in Les Sables d’Olonne with a broken wind vane bracket axle, he had Vincent Riou and Jacques Fort reinforcing the support bracket, switching the 10mm bolt for 12mm, adding an extra bracket for strength, before leaving 6 days after the fleet. Since then, he has sailed through unstable winds out of Biscay and has been consistently posting daily averages in the top of the fleet. His seven seasons racing Solitaire du Figaro are certainly coming handy!

Most importantly, all boats are now out of Biscay. None of them has had meaningful interactions with orcas, despite an early fright for Elliott Smith (USA), two Orcas visited his boat but did not bite. Most sailors stopped hurting themselves except for Guy Waites (UK) who had a “disagreement” between Sagarmatha’s boom and his head!

Abhilash Tomy (India) sailing BAYANAT is happy to be racing again, but has the Rustler 36 design finally been presented with real challenges from new designs with competent sailors . He is sailing hard and only time will tell! Picture Credit: GGR2022 / Nora Havel

All skippers are finally enjoying some time off the wind with a decent sea state, rising temperatures and barometers, posting good speeds on a straight line to Lanzarote. The leaders are expected into the Rubicon Marina film drop at 2000hrs UTC today FRIDAY 26th with the first 10 sailors expected through in the first 30 hours.

Each sailor must approach the Lanzarote film drop buoy 300 metres south of Rubicon Marina with a reefed mainsail. When abeam they drop all headsails and sail slowly for 20 minutes passing over films and letters before hoisting full sail to continue the race. Don, Jane and Aïda will stream live videos interviews in French and English on Facebook, Rob will shoot and cut videos for news releases and Nora will update pictures of the sailors as they drop their video footage of their first two weeks at sea and share their first taste of the GGR adventure. For many of them it will be the first chance to find out their position in the fleet!

Departing the film drop, sailors will face a wind hole forming Saturday between the Azores and Lisbon. It is set to gradually come down over the Canaries on Sunday and stay there until late Monday. This may create a first weather gate between the leaders and the ones in pursuit, followed by the doldrums on their way to the next mark: Trindade island in Brazil.

The skippers, in addition to their daily tweets, and weekly recorded safety calls to race control will be able to share their stories in real time with the beginning of the weekly 20-minutes exclusive sat phone interviews to accredited media starting on week 4 of the race. If you are a GGR accredited media, click here to request your personal interview, they are exclusive to you!

Tapio Lehtinen (Finland) 'Captain Barnacle" sailing ASTERIA away at the start in Les Sables d'Olonne for his second GGR. He has a point to prove having been last finisher in the 2018 edition after 322 days, the hull covered in Barnacles. He is in company with his 2023 Ocean Globe Race entry a Swan 55 Galiana which he will race fully crewed around the world straight after the GGR is finished. Picture Credit: GGR2022 / Etienne Messikommer  

TO FOLLOW THE RACE :

• LIVE TRACKER on the GGR website tracker
• Or download the YELLOW BRICK APP on Android or iPhone
• Follow all social media news on the website, Facebook, Instagram
• Listen to daily recorded satellite calls on SoundCloud

Follow the daily entrants tweets on Twitter, Facebook, or the GGR website

2022 GGR entrants to date:

1. Abhilash Tomy (43)  / India / Rustler 36
2. Arnaud Gaist (50) /  France / BARBICAN 33 MKII  (long keel version)
3. Damien Guillou (39) /  France / Rustler 36
4. Elliott Smith (27) / USA /  Gale Force 34
5. Ertan Beskardes (60)   / UK /  Rustler 36
6. Guy deBoer (66)  / USA /  Tashiba 36
7. Guy Waites (54)  / UK / Tradewind 35
8. Ian Herbert Jones (52) / UK / Tradewind 35
9. Jeremy Bagshaw (59) / South Africa / OE32   
10. Kirsten Neuschäfer (39) / South Africa / Cape George 36  
11. Mark Sinclair (63) / Australia / Lello 34
12. Michael Guggenberger (44) /  Austria  / Biscay 36  
13. Pat Lawless (66) / Ireland / Saga 36
14. Simon Curwen (63) / UK /  Biscay 36  
15. Tapio Lehtinen (64) / Finland / Gaia 36 Masthead sloop

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Guy deBoer (USA) had a scary near miss with a fishing vessel but is sailing well and feels very good about his choice of a Toshiba 36 designed by BOB PERRY. Picture Credit: GGR2022 / Guy deBoer Team 

About the 2022 Golden Globe Race

On September 4th, this year, the third edition of the Golden Globe Race will start from Les Sables d'Olonne, France. All Sailors in the race will face eight months of isolation sailing 30,000 miles across five oceans solo non-stop and unassisted. The Golden Globe Race was 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. He had entered the original Golden Globe.  Nine men started that first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. He was 29year old Sir Robin Knox Johnston. History was made. Navigating only 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 world's media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. Millions followed it. 18 started and only five finished. The original race was back. Once again they used only sextants, paper charts, wind up clocks and cassette tapes for music. The GGR is the longest, loneliest, most daring challenge for any individual in any sport. It is an extreme adventure full of human stories on a journey that takes longer than flying to Mars!

Cover photo Kirsten Neuschäfer (SA) has been averaging 7.5 knots at times trying to catch the leaders and remain intouch. Her Cape George 36 is proving a great match for her 240,000 miles sailing experience and looks like a fast ride!! Watch this space. Picture Credit: GGR2022 / Nora Havel