SeaSailSurf®Golden Globe Race
2018 Golden Globe Race : 23 skippers confirmed at the Paris Boat Show
vendredi 8 décembre 2017 –
Toutes les versions de cet article : [English] [français]
With 6 months to go before the start, five French skippers continue to dominate the entry list. Two new skippers have announced their entry and the return of another who had previously retired, replace five entrants that have withdrawn from the Race.
The new faces are Ertan Beskardes, a Turkish born British national who has bought a Rustler 36, Commander Abhilash Tomy, KC (38) fromIndia who has built a Suhaili replica,and Tapio Lehtinen (59) from Finland who is campaigning a Sparkman & Stephens designedBenello Gaia 36. The entry list also shows a welcome return of Italian entrant Francesco Cappelletti with his Endurance 35.
Those to have withdrawn for personal or financial reasons are Izabel Pimentel from Brazil, British farmer Ian Reid, and two Frenchman, Lionel Regnier who is now assisting fellow Frenchman Jean-Luc van den Heede, andArsène Ledertheil, together with Swiss entrant Nérée Cornuz.
Australian boatbuilder Mike Smith simply ran out of time building his replica of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s 1968/9 winning yacht Suhaili and has now set his sights on entering the next GGR in 2022.
Don McIntyre, the Race Chairman says, “The closer to the start, the more the financial and personal pressures mount, and it was inevitable that some entrants would drop out. That leaves 23 strong entries all busy preparing their boats for the start in Les Sables d’Olonne on July 1st next year. It also leaves 7 places up for grabs and it so happens that we have that number talking to us about the possibilities of becoming late entrants in the Race. Given that there is just 6 months left, that will be a tall order for some who have to buy a boat and refit it, then complete their 2,000-mile proving voyage. Time will tell how many of these will make it to the start.”
Organisers and skippers held a meeting in Les Sables d’Olonne on December 6th with a focus on a workshop and press conference. The following day, the skippers visited the port facilities in Les Sables d’Olonne.
Yannick MOREAU, the President of Les Sables d’Olonne Agglomeration said : "I am pleased to welcome 14 of the 23 Golden Globe Race Golden Globe Race Golden Globe skippers ahead of Salon Salon #Salonnautique Nautic for their first meeting her and to meet with the press. 12 out of 14 of the nationalities are represented here and is a demonstration of the international scope of the event. These 2 days spent on the coast mark the introduction to the Sables before the big start. This is the only opportunity to have almost all gathered at Les Sables d’Olonne before June 16 and the start on July 1st."
Voir en ligne : Press info www.goldengloberace.com
Portfolio
Dans la même rubrique
Imoca : Alex Thomson Racing : Over €200 million in sponsorship return since 2014
Offshore racing : Vendée Globe 2016-2017 : a hugely popular event and media success
Back to Les Sables : Sébastien Destremau takes 18th place to bring the Vendée Globe to a close
No Way Back : Pieter Heerema : "The departure and the arrival are one of the best moments of this race"
