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Pat Lawless Starts Golden Globe Race in France

4th September 2022
Ireland’s Pat Lawless is amongst the 16 solo skippers who started the Golden Globe Race today
Green Rebel - Ireland’s Pat Lawless is amongst the 16 solo skippers who started the Golden Globe Race today

Thousands of people lined the harbour walls at Les Sables d’Olonne in France this afternoon to watch the start of the Golden Globe non-stop round-the-world race.

Ireland’s Pat Lawless is amongst the 16 solo skippers who started, with up to eight months alone at sea ahead of them.

Family, friends and supporters from Kerry and Limerick were in the French port for the start.

There was a big swell coming in from the sea as the yachts crossed the start line, beating into a fresh wind.

Before the start Pat said that he was happy to be “getting going after the years of preparation. Now it is all to do with what happens at sea. I’m well prepared and my focus is to finish. We’ll see how many do get to finish. “

The Bay of Biscay will be the first major test ahead for the GGR fleet.

The start of the Golden Globe non-stop round-the-world raceThe start of the Golden Globe non-stop round-the-world race

Additional reporting by GGR media:

Emotions ran high as family and friends bid farewell to 16 skippers setting out from Les Sables d’Olonne on one of the most gruelling challenges on the planet. The Golden Globe Race is a solo non stop voyage sailing small 32-36 ft old fashion yachts without technology and no assistance. Following years of intense preparations and safety checks, the thought of 9 months of total isolation with only high frequency radios to speak with family was daunting.

The people of Sables d'Olonne were present in high numbers to cheer the GGR competitors and in the two weeks of the race village drew 5000 visitors per day. Thousands lined the wall along the mythical channel of Sables d'Olonne where classic and historic yachts, competitors of the Golden Globe Race, traditional Olonnois yachts and local yachts paraded towards the startline.

The GGR dock has been a favourite among visitors and enthusiasts. Picture Credit: Nora Havel / GGR2022The GGR dock has been a favourite among visitors and enthusiasts. Picture Credit: Nora Havel / GGR2022

"We couldn't have wished for a better home port for the GGR than Les Sables d'Olonne," said Don McIntyre, President and Founder of the race, " To watch the sailors depart the marina was both humbling, exciting and electric. We were all swept up in the emotion and human spirit on display. Trying to imagine the hardships and joy these sailors and dreamers will experience in the months ahead was hard. ”

The skippers were ready to go following years of preparations. It was time! The starting line was between Tapio Lethenin’s Swan 55 Galiana and L’Esprit d'Equipe of local skipper Lionel Régnier, both Ocean Globe Race entrants. The Official start vessel was Guépard, a French Navy training ship of which the town of Les Sables d'Olonne is the godmother. The official starter was Sir Robin Knox Johnston supported by Mayor Yannick Moreau, and the founder of the GGR, Don McIntyre.

Prologue, bis repetita?

It was Britain's Simon Curwen who crossed the line first, followed shortly by France's Damien Guillou on PRB, later joined by Kirsten Neuschäfer. The trio who led the previous Gijon prologue quickly took the lead of the fleet towards Cape Finisterre, 350 miles southwest of Les Sables d'Olonne, which they are expected to reach in 3 to 4 days. 

Pat Lawless (Ireland) onboard his Saga 36 "Green Rebel", a world of his own. Picture Credit: Nora Havel / GGR2022Pat Lawless (Ireland) onboard his Saga 36 "Green Rebel", a world of his own. Picture Credit: Nora Havel / GGR2022

The former Classe Mini and Figaro sailor and the South African ocean navigator will be keen to set a strong pace to the rest of the fleet in the early hours of the race to implement their respective strategies. This should see them seeking the low-pressure system to the west before descending to the tip of Cape Finisterre. Strong headwinds, avoiding coastal traffic and possible interactions with orcas along the Galician coast are just some of the challenges ahead.

Popular local French sailor Arnaud Gaist broke the start line by about 1 minute and was asked by the official starter to recross the line. He failed to do so. This will be addressed later, but as he sails the smallest yachts in the fleet so it is not expected to have any real impact.

Christian Dumard, the meteorologist for legendary races such as the Vendée Globe, the Volvo Ocean Race and the Mini Transat, shares his analysis: "The conditions for the first few days of the race are going to be tough. After a start in good conditions, the low-pressure system to the west of the Celtic Sea will bring strong south westerly winds. It will be followed at the end of next week by the remains of cyclone Danielle, which formed in the middle of the Atlantic. It is therefore in a prevailing SW to W flow that the competitors will sail to Cape Finisterre, then probably to the latitude of Lisbon. The sea will be rough with waves of up to 4 metres. They will then be able to hit the Portuguese trade winds, the famous northerly winds that will enable them to sail downwind towards the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde Archipelago.”

There are two options in the immediate future: westwards towards heavy weather for the skippers who will want to make the difference during the first 24 hours, and a route favouring milder but more uncertain winds along the Asturian and Galician coastline. This choice, early in the race, could well lead to the first split of the fleet into 2 groups.

The Spaniard Aleix Selles, still waiting for his mast, chose to sail alongside the fleet and test his jury rig on his Rustler 36 Onsoro. According to the Notice of Race, he may have one more week to rejoin the Race and cross the start line south of Nouch, and benefit from good weather conditions. He is determined and could well add another twist to this 2022 edition.

Next stop, Lanzarote!

Published in Golden Globe Race

Golden Globe Yacht Race Live Tracker 2022/3

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Tom MacSweeney

About The Author

Tom MacSweeney

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Tom MacSweeney writes a column for Afloat.ie. He is former RTE Marine Correspondent/Presenter of Seascapes and now has a monthly Podcast on the Community Radio Network and Podcast services

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About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston 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 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to 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 and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the 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 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 the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

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, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil