The challenge is great: in an era when circumnavigation is breaking speed records, whether as a team or solo, thanks to the constant improvements made by navigators and their teams at the cutting edge of new technologies, isn't it time to go back to basics? The OGR 2023 could be described as a "retro crewed race", its vocation is to perpetuate the spirit of the Whitbread, the round the world crewed race born in 1973.
Is it a dream on the edge of the impossible?
The world health situation has put a stop to pharaonic projects and the latest "veiling" inventions which have sometimes shown their limits, due to lack of budget or public enthusiasm.
For the RMO, the ambition of Don McIntyre, a New Zealander who is in charge of the project, is to put forward the notions of adventure and equality of the participants on the starting line . To take part in what is to date the greatest crewed round the world race of the last thirty years, the selection criteria have been defined on the principle of production boats built before 1988 and having a length between 47 and 65 feet.
The 34 places are divided into 2 categories and 4 classes:
RETRO (sailboats dating from 1973 to 1981)
- 8 places for the "Flyer" Class reserved for boats that have competed in one of the first three editions of the Whitbread.
- 8 places for the "Adventure" Class reserved for production boats from 47 to 55.25 feet (14.33 to 17.40 meters)
- 10 places for the "Sayula" Class reserved for boats between 57.4 and 65.5 feet (17.48 to 19.94 meters)
The types of sailboats approved by the organization are from the Swan range (built before 1988), and recently four new types have been added to this brand:
- Nicholson 55
- Big Sun 52
- Oyester Lightwave 48
- Baltic 48
Remember that in this class, the navigation will be done with sextants on paper charts, the communication will be ensured by SSB radios and VHF (no computer or satellite communications).
CLASSIC from 1985 to 1997
- 8 places for the Classic Challenge reserved for W60, V60 and Maxis with a different spirit from the Retro class (display of sponsors allowed and access to all usual electronic devices, except use of weather routing software).
A departure from Europe in 2023
The start will be on September 10, 2023 from a European port, for a 27,000 mile race around the globe with four legs, passage through the southern seas and three major capes. Changes to the race rules have been approved. It is no longer necessary to dismantle the electronics on board (but to make them unusable) and the carbon spars, nor to paint the beautiful teak decks with fluorescent paint.
The ports of call and the RMO itinerary will thus be finalized in September 2021.
With less than 900 days to go before the start of the race, the OGR already has 26 participants from 17 countries. This race is a victim of its own success as waiting lists are open in the Adventure and Sayula classes, and there is still one place left in the Flyer class (information of February 22, 2021 from Don McIntyre).
An adventure..
We can bet that this exciting race will capture the imagination of sailors and non-sailors around the world. These are undoubtedly life-changing experiences, because here the challenge is human and the adventure is real.
It's inspiring: finally, without technology, human values will make the difference throughout the 8 months of the race, and will transform these "ordinary" sailors into adventurers of the seas, pushing their limits and those of their classic and proven yachts.
The men and women participating in this race will have to prove that nothing can replace passion, commitment and team spirit, whether you are a sportsman, a lover of the seas or an adventurer. Each one can thus confront himself and the authenticity of the elements, his mortality and his dreams.
