2018 Golden Globe around the world yacht race announced

To mark the 50th anniversary of the first solo non-stop circumnavigation under sail achieved by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston during the 1968/9 Sunday Times Golden Globe Yacht Race, a new Golden Globe Race is set to start from Falmouth UK on 14th June 2018 – the same day that Knox-Johnston set out on his epic voyage 50 years before.

The announcement today is significant, marking the 46th anniversary of Robin’s victorious return to Falmouth in 1969, as the sole finisher in the original Sunday Times event.

The 2018 Golden Globe Race is very simple, participants will depart from Falmouth, England, sail solo, non-stop around the world via the five Great Capes and return to Falmouth.

Entrants are restricted to using the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Sir Robin in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite based navigation aids. Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 to 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 with a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge, similar in concept to Knox-Johnston’s Suhaili.

Don McIntyre founder of the 2018 Race and Australian adventurer commented, “The overriding aim is for a race where adventure takes precedence over winning at all costs; one where sailing skill and traditional seamanship, rather than modern technology and outside support, gets you round, and where the achievement truly belongs to the skipper.”

McIntyre completed his first solo circumnavigation in 1991 and more recently retraced captain Bligh’s Bounty Boat voyage from Tonga to Kupang, West Timor, in a similar open boat with minimal rations.

Another entrant is British yachtsman and adventurer Chris Jacks from Liverpool. Last autumn, he climbed the summits of 92 Wainwright mountains within 40 days – equivalent to climbing Mount Everest twice.

The 2018 Race is limited to a maximum of 20 entrants.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said, “I’m a great believer in the freedom of the individual. I think this race is a great idea, giving an opportunity for those who want to do something special with their lives. You can enter this race in an ordinary seaworthy boat and know that success will be down to personal drive and determination, and not to the biggest budget. I intend to be at the start with Suhaili to celebrate this anniversary and expect to be joined by two other yachts that competed in the original Sunday Times Race.”

A prize purse of £75,000 has been budgeted for the 2018 Golden Globe Race, and all who finish before 15:25hrs on 22nd April 2019 (the anniversary of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s finish) will receive a Suhaili trophy and a refund of their entry fee.

For more information, visit Golden Globe Race.