On Monday, GGR Day 295, 73-year old Frenchman Jean-Luc Van Den Heede was crowned winner of the second Golden Globe Race in Les Sables d’Olonne, France.
It was exactly 50 years to the day that Sir Robin Knox-Johnston returned to Falmouth UJK after 312 days at sea to become the first man to sail solo non-stop around the Globe.
And all but two of Van Den Heede’s rivals made the pilgrimage to the Race finish port to applaud his performance in besting Sir Robin’s original circumnavigation by 100 days aboard his Rustler 36 Matmut.
Fifth placed Finnish skipper Tapio Lehtinen is still more than 2,000 miles from the finish, but made a live satellite call broadcast to the thousands of spectators thronged the open-air seafront presentation. “I’m maximising on my entry fee for this race and enjoying every minute of the Race.” he joked.
Sir Robin also joined the celebrations via a live link from Falmouth to congratulate everyone, saying that their efforts have inspired so many people around the world to challenge themselves in this and other adventures.
Golden Globe Race prize winners
WINNER GGR 2018 Jean-Luc VDH (FRA) Matmut – 211D 23H 12M
Suhaili timber perpetual model and trophy model
RALF TECH Winners’ watch
BOATSHED.COM £5000 winners purse.
2nd: Mark Slats (NED) Ohpen Maverick – 216D 00H 18M
Trophy model of Suhaili.
3rd: Uku Randmaa (EST) One and All – 254D 18H 40M
Trophy model of Suhaili
1st Corinthian (Unsponsored) entry trophy.
4th: Istvan Kopar (USA/HUN) – 264D 01H 38M.
Susie Goodall (GBR): Kay Kottee Trophy for First Woman in 2018 GGR.
Tapio Lehtinen (FIN): McIntyre Adventure Spirit of GGR Trophy.
2022 Golden Globe Race Entries
Already, 20 sailors from 10 Countries have signed up to compete in the next Golden Globe Race slated to start on 4 September 2022, and many more have expressed an interest to compete.
1. John Clarke (47) GBR – Nicholson 32 MKX
2. Ian Herbert Jones (49) GBR – Tradewind 35
3. Guy Waites (52) GBR
4. Ertan Beskardes (57) GBR – Rustler 36
5. Simon Curwen (60) GBR – Biscay 36
6. Robin Davie (67) GBR – Rustler 36
7. Confidenial GBR
8. Arnaud Gaist (47) FRA Barbican 33 MKII (long keel version)
9. Confidential FRA
10. Guy deBoer (63) USA
11. Doug Dean JOHNSON (53) USA – Rustler 36
12. Matthew Wright (49) AUS
13. Michael Date (57) AUS Aries 32
14. Confidenial AUS
15. Michael Guggenberger (41) AUT – Endurance 35
16. Gaurav Shinde (32) CAN
17. Pat Lawless (62) IRE Saga 36
18. Guido Cantini (50) ITA Vancouver 34
19. Confidenial NZL – Rustler 36
20. Confidenial NOR
Lessons learned from sailing small yachts in extreme conditions
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston also published his long awaited Report considering the tessons learned from sailing small yachts in extreme conditions including the 5 dismastings suffered during the 2018 GGR.
