Retro Sailing All The Rage!
18-year-old Italian Sophie is ready for the challenge onboard Translated 9 IT (09). She started sailing at 9, achieving outstanding results in European championships on an Optimist boat coming first place in 2018. Credit: StudioBorlenghi | Luca Butto | OGR 2023
At 1300hr, 10th September, 14 Ocean Globe Race yachts will set sail from the Royal Yacht Squadron start line, Cowes. Onboard, 31 under 24-year-olds step back in time, forsaking modern technology, Kindles, iPhones and Spotify in favour of sextants, paper charts, ‘real books’ and cassette recorders. Racing like it’s 1973 is trendy. Slowing down in this high-speed, high-tech world feels good!
The 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race (OGR) is a fully crewed, retro race, in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, marking the 50th Anniversary of the original event. Starting in Southampton (UK) on September 10, the OGR is a 27,000-mile sprint around the Globe, divided into four legs that passes south of the three great Capes. The fleet is divided in three classes with stop-overs in Cape Town, South Africa; Auckland, New Zealand; and Punta del Este, Uruguay before returning to Southhampton in April 2024.
And it’s not just the youngsters who are embracing this new revolution. For the 218 adventurers embarking on the OGR, it’s proving to be way more than just a ‘round-the-world’ race. It’s a recognition of sailing history, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Whitbread. It’s a unique opportunity to race simple traditional yachts, a nod to seafarers’ past. The OGR sailors, hailing from 23 different countries are a rare breed, ranging in age from 17 to 73 years, united by a passion to live a life less ordinary.
This eight months’ adventure, split into four legs, sailing around the three great Capes, Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, Australia’s Cape Leeuwin, and South America’s notorious Cape Horn, has attracted an eclectic mix of dedicated sailors, befitting such an adventure.
Where do the OGR sailors come from? (Genders: 65 – Women, 153 – Men)
France: 96. USA: 18. UK: 18. Finland: 31. Italy: 11
Spain: 7. South Africa: 6. Canadian: 1. Turkey: 4 Australia: 4
India: 3 Uruguay: 3 Germany: 3 Ireland: 2 Belgium: 2
Japanese: 1 NZ: 2 Afghanistan: 1. Antigua: 1. Czech Republic: 1
Sweden: 1 Argentina: 1 Brazilian: 1
The OGR is all about the stories and these statistics tell a very interesting one. Super happy to see 30% are women! Even our seniors are surely passing down a wealth of experience to a new, younger generation and that story is going to reach a lot of countries. These opportunities are the start of something big for the future of around the world racing via the great capes, something so many dreams about.
DON MCINTYRE, OGR FOUNDER AND RACE DIRECTOR
Having youth on your side helps when you’re required for those ‘special jobs’. Cameron’s 23-year-old feet. He’s sailing home to Cape Town and the Royal Cape Yacht Club on leg one. Credit: Terry Kavanagh / OGR 2023 Explorer
Fashionably Old-fashioned.
It’s no accident there’s such a large youth participation in the OGR. As part of the Notice of Race, all yachts must have at least one under 24-year-old on board. The youngest sailor is 17 years old Ryder Ellis. He’s sailing on Australian entrant Explorer AU (28) from Cape Town home to New Zealand. He is one of the four young people who’ll sail on the Swan 57 as part of the McIntyre Adventure Youth Opportunity Scheme, sponsored by race organiser, and Explorer owner, Don McIntyre.
And it’s the sheer adventure of the race that has attracted so many young crews.
India Syms (23) from the UK is sailing around the world on the second Australian entrant, Outlaw AU (08). Earlier this year she qualified as Deck Officer in the Merchant Navy and has spent many hours practising celestial navigation.
Wonder who is teaching who what? The oldest OGR entrant Campbell (73) training their youngest youth crew India. Credit: OGR 2023 Outlaw / Spirit of Adelaide
When I heard about the OGR I thought, what better way to put all of my hard work into practice? My friends and family all think I’m utterly crazy. Most are amazed that I can just look at the sun and stars and figure out where we are. There’s a little bit more to it than that, but the principle is there, and I suppose it is a pretty cool skill to have!
INDIA SYMS,OUTLAW AU (08)
India (23) looks forward to being cut off from technology for the race. Let’s ask her again in Cape Town! Credit: OGR 2023 Outlaw / Spirit of Adelaide
Twenty-one-year-old Mathias Lestienne (FR) has just graduated with a first-class honours degree in Yacht and Power craft Design from Solent University in the UK. He’s taking on legs one, two, and four onboard L’Esprit d’Équipe FR (85). He says he’s extremely proud to have the opportunity to sail onboard the iconic yacht, winner of the 1985 Whitbread.
I’ve been passionate about sailing since I was a child. This is a magical experience for me. We are not just sailing for the adventure; we are there to win. It’s a privilege for me to be able to do this.
MATHIAS LESTIENNE (FR), L’ESPRIT D’ÉQUIPE FR (85)
Grégoire Roubertie (23), sailing on Evrika FR (07), a stunning Swan 65, would encourage other young people to take on challenges like the OGR.
I believe that an adventure, no matter how crazy, is worthwhile if it’s taken on together, with a crew with whom you’d consider going to the end of the world with. Alone we go faster, together we go further
GRÉGOIRE ROUBERTIE (23), EVRIKA FR (07)
For me the biggest challenge will be avoiding overthinking and the urge to know everything immediately as we’re so used to do due to technology. The first days I’ll have to cope with not having technology at all, but it’s not something that scares me, it’ll be replaced with something better and special and I’ll get used to that.
SOPHIE FONTANESI , TRANSLATED 9
Meanwhile, the oldest entrant, 73-year-old Australian skipper Campbell Mackie of Outlaw says he doesn’t have time to think about age too much.
I feel fortunate. Many in my cohort couldn’t do it even if they wanted to. It’s not something I think about often, my mind is fully occupied with doing the race.
CAMPBELL MACKIE，OUTLAW
