Golden Globe update

Guillou reached the film-drop buoy at 12.15pm local time before completing his interview with the race team. He then anchored for around an hour to replace a sheave in the masthead spinnaker block, climbing the mast and carrying out the repair unaided before returning to the race.

Under Golden Globe Race rules, competitors may anchor to undertake their own repairs but cannot receive outside assistance.

Lawless arrived around seven hours later at 7.15pm local time. Sailing with one reef in the mainsail, he slowed Silvermines Hydro for his rendezvous before continuing south.

The Lanzarote film drop is designed to echo the original 1968 Golden Globe Race, when competitors attempted to pass letters and film ashore during their circumnavigations. It is not a conventional stopover and there is no compulsory rest period.

Biscay split shapes early race

Guillou and Lawless established much of their advantage as a high-pressure system brought lighter winds to the Bay of Biscay from 9 September.

Guillou’s position near the Spanish coast gave him a favourable route towards Cape Finisterre, while Lawless was also able to maintain better breeze farther south.

The contrast across the fleet was considerable. At one stage Guillou covered 162 nautical miles in 24 hours while Britain’s Henry Wootton, sailing Privateer, recorded just 24 nautical miles.

Guillou’s advantage over Lawless reached approximately 83 nautical miles on 13 September, but lighter conditions subsequently allowed the Irish skipper to recover around 30 miles in a day, reducing the gap to roughly 50 nautical miles by 15 September.

Both sailors are returning to the Golden Globe Race after mechanical problems ended their 2022 campaigns.

Chasing fleet gathers pace

Behind the leading pair, Italy’s Andrea Lodolo aboard Bibi and Britain’s Ertan Beskardes aboard Miss Beagle have been among the sailors leading the chase as stronger northerly winds reach the fleet.

Several close contests have also developed farther north.

Switzerland’s Etienne Messikommer aboard Bernard and Italy’s Guido Cantini aboard Hannah of Cowes were separated by around half a nautical mile on 11 September, while Cantini later recorded a 163-nautical-mile day.

By 17 September, Messikommer and Israel’s Daniel Pinsky aboard Exodus were just 1.9 nautical miles apart.

Wootton has also accelerated aboard Privateer, recording 172 nautical miles in 24 hours in the 17 September update after struggling through the earlier light conditions.

Norway’s Helga Marie “Mara” Løvenskiold Kveseth has been making strong progress aboard Showgirl, recording 161 nautical miles over the same period.

American Guy deBoer, meanwhile, is approaching the Canaries aboard Spirit, returning to the waters where his 2022 Golden Globe Race ended when his yacht grounded on Fuerteventura after the Lanzarote film drop. DeBoer is currently using his backup Windpilot following problems with his Hydrovane mounting brackets.

More light winds ahead

The next major challenge could come from another area of fading breeze around 20–21 September.

The lighter conditions could particularly affect the boats still approaching the Canary Islands, while Guillou, Lawless and those farther south attempt to extend their advantage.

Sweden’s Pär Nyman aboard Lazy Otter, who was delayed after returning to Les Sables-d’Olonne for repairs, and Turkey’s Selim Yalçın aboard Help Disabled Children are among those facing the prospect of slower conditions before reaching Lanzarote.

The Golden Globe Race fleet departed Les Sables-d’Olonne on 6 September for its solo, non-stop circumnavigation using traditional navigation and technology available to sailors in the original 1968 race.

goldengloberace.com