Golden Globe Race 2018,

About the event

Stepping back to the Golden Age of solo sailing

30 sailors…30,000 miles non-stop…Alone…With no outside assistance

To celebrate Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s historic 1968/9 world first solo non-stop circumnavigation in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Yacht Race, a new Golden Globe Race will be staged to mark the 50th Anniversary of that epic, starting from Falmouth on 16 June, 2018.

Like the original Sunday Times event, the 2018 Golden Globe Race is very simple. Depart Falmouth, England on June 16th 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Falmouth. Entrants are limited to sailing similar yachts and equipment to what was available to Sir Robin in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite based navigation aids. Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 – 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 that have a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts are heavily built, strong and sturdy, similar in concept to Sir Robin’s 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the ‘Golden Age’ of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow, sturdy 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She was heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge with no outside assistance or aid of modern day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive. But he was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for ‘those who dare’, just as it was for Sir Robin. They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts,without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves. Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea in little boats, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race will be a fitting tribute to the first edition and it’s winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

• To create a unique ‘RETRO’ non-stop solo around the world yacht race, in the image of the original Sunday Times Golden Globe that draws sailors back to the Golden Age of ‘one sailor, one boat’ facing the great oceans of the world.
• To organise a race where adventure takes precedence over winning at all costs.
• To professionally manage an event where the sailors skill and traditional seamanship alone, rather than modern technology or support crews, gets them home and where the achievement truly belongs to the skipper.
• To give sailors of all ages an opportunity to race solo around the world safely, in a fleet of similar and affordable yachts in the spirit of Suhaili.

Why should you sponsor?

Dear sirs,
my name is Neree Cornuz, I'm 26, Swiss/Italian and an official entrant to 2018 Golden Globe Race… an event meant to recreate the 1st solo circumnavigation ever completed by man.

This event is going to be big.  Two hollywood movies are in production plus the organization has great plans for us.

"It is exciting to have signed Canadian company EGGPLANT TV as our front line Executive Production team responsible for the official Cinematic Documentary, a 15 part International TV series and 40 Online weekly video updates. Cale Tompkins and Christian Hurst flew in to London with a film crew to start filming and interviewing entrants that day. Plans are to release a short Official GGR Trailer in February.
A big new addition to the GGR is the introduction of EGGPLANT on-board Digital cameras and tethered drones that will only be with a select few entrants. A decision will be made in the last six weeks before the start to place systems on up to 10 boats. These will be state of the art and the vision captured on them will never be released to any news outlet, or TV network anywhere in the world. It will only ever be seen on the official Egg Plant productions distributed worldwide and online at the official Race web site. We call these the “Big Brother” cameras. The individual entrants cannot use this footage, so they will still be shooting their own 35mm Film pictures and super 8 movies.
The big question on everyone’s mind is who gets these cameras…and the answer is simple. We do not know yet and no one will, until 6 weeks out. A decision will only be made then."

This means hours of airing time worldwide... and everyone is gonna wanna follow our adventure.

I've choosed a competitive boat design and i'm in for the win... with your help I can achive that goal and fullfill my dream.

best regards,
Neree

Neree Cornuz

Neree Cornuz, of Swiss and Italian origins, is the youngest entrant of the 2018 GGR.

Named after Nereus, a sea god in Greek mythology he’s weaned with salt and wind from early childhood facing, aged 2, his first Atlantic crossing on Neree II, a 42 ft ketch.

He later attends the maritime academy of Procida and assists the bosun at the local YC learning the art of seamanship.

He discover the love for sailing as a sport and races on meteor, J24 and progressively larger yachts, working his way from the bow to the helm.

At 19 he starts a career in the merchant navy sailing across three oceans from Australia to India, to the African coasts and the Americas becoming second mate on cruise ships and bulk carriers in 5 years.

In 2014 he steps on dry land and works as a sailing coach in Geneva, Switzerland.

It doesn’t take long before he is full time back on the racing circuits of the Mediterranean.

Cherished for long the idea of starting a solo navigation project, he has no hesitations when hears about the GGR.

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