Update
integral keels. While this is a rather old concept, as five-times French circumnavigator Jean-Luc Van Den Heede notes in their defence, ‘Our boats for this race are proven, not experimental!’ A legend in French ocean racing, Van Den Heede’s support played a big role in resolving this little local difficulty… As he went on, only slightly tongue in cheek: ‘I have some experience with races that everyone predicted would be impossible, dangerous, suicidal. ‘During the build-up to the first Mini Transat, which started from
England in 1977, the French skippers were targeted by French Maritime Affairs who wanted to prevent us from competing. It was hardly better in the second edition… until the race became French. And then a few years later the French Minister for the Sea, Louis Le Pensec, started our race! ‘During the first Vendée Globe the “experts” all predicted the
worst, but look what the Vendée has become. At that time the French Sailing Federation (FFV) was not responsible for this type of competition, but now in 2017 the rules that the FFV want to apply are made for modern boats equipped with the latest technology. We will certainly have the latest technology in terms of safety, but our boats are old and have proven themselves over decades. ‘They are also rather slow and so I do not think we create a very
big danger to shipping…’ Originally the GGR intended to allow only basic navigational tools,
as used by the original Golden Globe entrants 50 years ago. How- ever, with pressure to head off further confrontations, the organisers have been carefully tweaking the Notice of Race to recognise – and be seen to recognise – that safety standards have moved forward. Race chairman Don McIntyre also spoke to Seahorse. ‘I have
been involved with responsible adventure for the past 37 years; I passionately support the positive values it gives to participants and inspiration to followers. You cannot let world authorities legislate our personal safety. We must take responsibility for that. ‘But I do understand that an organised event that seeks publicity
to promote its values must abide by sensible safety standards, with risk mitigation and sensible preparation before it starts. That is what the GGR has done. After some initial unease the FFV are now coming to understand that. The GGR will start on 1 July from Les Sables d’Olonne as planned and the world will be watching.’ So it is the end of the beginning for the 2018 GGR, with the first
handful of entrants starting to base themselves in Les Sables d’Olonne, together as a group for the first time. French passion for shorthanded ocean racing and support for those who undertake it are already making themselves felt here. There is a strong feeling
that the Golden Globe is not only about to start, but that it is emerging as a major ‘event’. As McIntyre says, ‘The entrants are now a GGR family and we can all feel excitement in the air. Our press conference at the Paris Boat Show was extremely well attended and gave us a small taste of what may lie ahead. ‘But as the start looms, so financial and personal pressures
also mount. It was inevitable some entrants would drop out, but we have 23 strong entries busy preparing their boats. We have seven places still up for grabs and some well-known sailors are contemplating taking them up. But with just six months to go, to buy and refit a boat, then complete their 2,000-mile qualifying voyage, time is not their friend…’
SNAPSHOTS Brought to you in association with
q
Five-times solo circumnavigator, multiple Vendée Globe and Around Alone podiums and, with the sad capsize off Cape Horn of Yves Le Blevec’s trimaran Actual (issue 455), definitely still the record holder for a westabout solo circumnavigation, Jean-Luc Van Den Heede is fully up for his latest round-the-world contest in the rather less rapid but perhaps equally testing Golden Globe
16 SEAHORSE
l Ker…ching l The mighty…Comanche has been sold l And now…blows smoke with an Aussie accent l Just keep…bangin’ ’em in l The…new Nivelt-Muratet IRC54 Teasing Machine 3 comfortably won the RORC Transatlantic Race l It can fairly…be said, Bernard Nivelt is back in business l For offshore racing…that is good news indeed l Mate!!! our old friend Alex Caizergues broke his own kiteboarding record with a run at 57.97kt l Four knots…faster than the current windsurfing mark l And heaps…slower than Paul Larsen’s 65.45kt on the Sailrocket l But…‘Crazy-Rodriguez’ reckons he can take out that one too l Yeah…right l More…significant perhaps, that foiling Mini scow of David Raison (page 36) is now regularly being clocked by GPS tooling along through moderate seas at steady speeds around 26-30kt l And modelling…30 per cent quicker over a typical Mini Transat course l Just think…about that l And this guy…is the real deal l Trust us…on that l Meeow…way too much noise already... l We put in…millions of Kiwi dollars to help you win it l So you’d…bloody better make sure you hold the next one here l Her Majesty’s…Government of New Zealand (careful – ed) did not take the idea of running the next Cup in Italy particularly well l Interesting…also to see how the Challenger of Record reacts to growing talk of a rival syndicate coming out of Chianti-land l China…talking the Cup l Talking…for sure l But…Kiwi is not so far away and commercial ties are strong l And…getting stronger by the day l ‘Faster…than we predicted’, early word on DNA’s foiler for the common man, the TF10 l Maybe…that’s why the rig came down (mean – ed) l So life…is wearing for a travelling grand prix sailor? l In 1971…aka a long time ago, F1 world champion Jackie Stewart crossed the Atlantic 87 times in a single season competing across several different racing categories l Yes…that’s a lot of Air Miles l But check out…the number of changes of time zone l Nah…don’t, way too painful l We are liking…this thing better and better... l The…Star Sailors League has named the Andrew Simpson Foundation as its charity for 2018 l Pedants…sorry about the missing apostrophe there… we did try l Don’t they have…schools in Switzerland (there you go again – ed) l Ashby…Outteridge and Iain ‘Goobs’ Jensen have signed up for skiff impresario Bill McCartney’s new SuperFoiler series in Oz l With…no fewer than 24 world championship titles between the three of them l Impressive…no? l ‘No’…comes the gentlest of whispers from the Great Dane’s resting place l Fancy…RaceBoatsOnly and ScuttlebuttEurope? l We think…you should l T’raa…for now
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