The return of a mythical race
In 1973, 17 crews took the start of the first edition of the Whitbread, a round-the-world race with stopovers, now known as the Ocean Race. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of this mythical race, the organizer of the Golden Globe Race has created the Ocean Globe Race which will start on September 10, 2023. The program includes 27,000 miles of crewed sailing around the planet with 4 stopovers.
Only boats built before 1988 and whose length is between 47 and 66 feet are allowed, divided into three classes: Adventure (47 to 56 feet), Saluya (56 to 66 feet) and Flyer (boats that participated in the first 3 editions of the Whitbread). All of them will have to sail the old fashioned way (sextant, paper chart...), far from the technology present on all racing boats.
Registrations almost closed
As for the first edition of the Whitbread, France is the most represented nation among the 14 countries competing. Dominique Dubois, owner of the Multiplast shipyard, will be accompanied by his family and friends on his Swan 651 Futuro.
Lionel Reignier, winner of the OSTAR and Pierre-Yves Cavan will give a second wind to the Esprit d'Equipe, winner of the Whitbread 85-86. Arnaud Lizop, Tabarly's crew member on Pen Duick in 1973, will be like three other participants on a Swan 55.
We will also find Pen Duick VI - built for the first edition of the Whitbread by Tabarly - in the hands of his daughter, Marie.
"Pen Duick VI will be 50 years old this year, I had a round the world program with my Elemen'Terre project that was cancelled by Covid, and was looking for something to do to mark the boat's anniversary. Pen Duick can't miss out on a round the world race like this. We have a crew of 12, the boat wears its age well and after a refit will be ready to go!" explains the latter.
Jean Le Cam will also make his Swan 59 available to François Abiven's Mad Atao/Yes We Cam team.
In addition to Esprit d'Equipe and Pen Duick VI, other Whitbread legends will participate in the Ocean Globe Race: Tracy Edwards' Farr 60 Maiden, Marco Trombetti's Swan 65 "Translated 9", ex-ADC Accutrac, the Norwegian Swan 651 Second Wind, ex-Fazer Finland, and as a guest star Evrika, Nick Wrights' former Swan 65, member of Pink Floyd.
More than two years before the start, the Ocean Globe Race has created a buzz, with the Adventure class closed, the Saluya class virtually closed and the Flyer class with only two places left. It could well be that this anniversary edition will become the biggest crewed race in the world.
