Event
Round the World race 1977-78 and finished 8th.
She was refitted as a charter
yacht and spent many years in the Caribbean, where she was severely damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 after breaking free from her mooring. She was damaged on the entire port side and the replacement of the damaged parts caused electrolysis because the aluminium replaced was not compatible with the aluminium used during construction. In 1995 she was refitted as much as possible to her origin and has raced in the major Caribbean regattas since. Now she is back to race around the world, again with a French team led by Tan Raffray.
Tracy Edwards’ all-female Maiden crew became Whitbread legends when they won both Southern Ocean legs in the 1990 edition and finished second overall in Class 2
around the world. Francis never did the race again, but became a best-selling author. For the Ocean Globe Race, the boat sails under the name Translated 9 and is skippered by two Italians:Marco Trombetti and Vittorio Alingri.
L’Esprit d’Equipe The 58ft Philippe Briand-design L’Esprit d’Equipe was the overall winner of the Whitbread in 1985-86 on corrected time. This was her second try – the one-off aluminiumyacht first took on the 1981-82 edition under the name 33 Export, but dismasted in the Southern Ocean and retired. She carried the smallest crew with only eight on board. In 1989, this time under the name Esprit de Liberté, the
A huge fleet of boats escorted Maiden through the Solent to the finish line at the end of the1990 Whitbread Race
yacht was rebuilt and entered a third Whitbread, again scoring a win, this time in Class D. There was drama when her shore manager left the project in Punta del Este at the finish of leg 1, taking with himthe crew passports and other vital documents. A problemthat was solved in due course. Aftermany years as an expedition boat in Antarctic waters, she now returns to racing, skippered by Lionel Regnier.
Neptune Neptune is a French 60ft one off, built in aluminium and designed by André Mauric. She was largely a private entry in the race with some support from the French yachting magazine whose name she bore. She took part in the second Whitbread
The Swan heritage Back in the day, before the Volvo Ocean Race days, the main substance of the race consisted of standard production boats. And anyone just slightly familiar with the Whitbread story will know which brand had an almost total dominance: Most teams without budgets for one-off campaigns went for a Swan, knowing that the legendary build quality, speed, and offshore capabilities from the Finnish yard were hard to find in any other production boat. The winner of the first Whitbread, Mexican Sayula, was a Swan 65 and since than countless Swans took part in the race. Nine of the 14 boats taking part in the Ocean Globe Race are Swans. Today, the race committee for Ocean
Globe Race has approved a number of yachts that have a proven offshore record and live up to the defined technical specifications. On the list are Baltic 48, 51, 55 and 64, as well as Nicholson 55, Oyster Lightwave 48 and Grand Soleil 52. Nonetheless, the Swan heritage is very visible on the list of Ocean Globe entrants in the Adventure and Sayula Classes. So, everything is ready for a world class
event based on an alternative approach to offshore racing – one that honours history and the human aspect. ‘One thing is certain’, says McIntyre, ‘the passion of people to follow adventure sailing and challenges based on human endeavour and extreme endurance is huge. The Golden Globe Race proved that. Our research clearly shows that slowing down and following heroes brings out core human values – intense emotions that ordinary people, mums and dads, can relate to and understand. In this fast world we now live in, sometimes looking back is the best way to go forward.’ After what promises to be an epic race
around the world, the Ocean Globe fleet will return to MDL’s Ocean Village next April, no doubt to a rapturous welcome. A waving crowd of 50,000 was there when Maiden arrived back, in May 1990. Don’t miss this chance to be part of the thrill once more. Champagne will be flowing as a pair of important birthdays are celebrated together. For all the latest information, race
village opening dates and so on, go to
mdlmarinas.co.uk/ogr23/
68 SEAHORSE ❑
ANDREW SASSOLI WALKJER
TEAM MAIDEN
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