Have you ever dreamed of racing round the world, passing Cape Horn or surfing down the face of a breaking wave deep in the Southern Ocean? In your imagination you’ve pictured yourself standing behind the wheel of a yacht racing under a spinnaker tight as a snare drum, hosed by spray and wearing a rictus grin of fear and exhilaration.
In real life? No chance. But now, maybe you could, even if only for that one, giant-slaying leg.
From next year a clutch of new round the world events are set to start that open up big ocean racing possibilities at costs that align with private yacht ownership. There are double-handed races, solo races, non-stop and stopping, through the Tropics and deep into the Southern Ocean. Some mix professionals with experienced amateurs and offer a chance to race against the pros, or hire pros to race alongside you. Several are specifically tailored to older yachts and in the process are remaking a ready market for well-found evergreen cruiser racers.
Compared to pinnacle races such as the Vendée Globe or Ocean Race, each with a ticket price of €10-15 million to reach the podium, a variety of epic events are now taking off with very different entry costs.
GOLDEN GLOBE GOES AGAIN
Next year will see the second edition of the Golden Globe Race. The ‘retro’ solo round the world set up by Australian sailor and adventurer Don McIntyre may initially have been seen as a one-off celebration of the 50th anniversary of the famous 1968/69 race, but it proved to be a hit worldwide, earning a mass audience and producing a queue of sailors wishing to take part.
This story is from the July 2021 edition of Yachting World.
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This story is from the July 2021 edition of Yachting World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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Around the world in company
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Ocean Globe Race skipper quits after false declaration
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Cruisers awarded
Kirsten Neuschäfer, the winner of the Golden Globe Race and the first woman ever to win a solo nonstop around the world ocean race, is among the skippers honoured in the Cruising Club of America's 2023 awards.