Global Solo Challenge – The Boating Chronicle

Volkan aspiring to be the first solo round-the-world Turkish sailor with Black Betty – In search of sponsors

January 27, 2023

1/27/2023 – by Alper Günoral – Global Solo Challenge – Volkan Kaan Yemlihaoğlu is an energetic soul with a friendly smile and a love for the sea. He began sailing as a child in Yalova, a Northwestern Turkish city on the Marmara Sea. He competed in optimist and laser races until high school and went on to take part in keelboat races. Then he went to Vienna for high school which put on pause his fondness for the sea. After his return to Turkey after high school, he went to college and continued with his lifelong passion: sailing races. He […]

Gentlemen of the Oceans

August 7, 2022

8/7/2022 – by Helena De La Gandara, Global Solo Challenge – When it comes offshore yacht racing, competition itself is a challenge that can be affected by many factors, personal or external. You have to take into account many factors: the difficulty of competing around the world without other to share the experience with, counting only on your own resources, the implacable force of the oceans, the many risks of collisions with boats, landmarks or even ice. All of this and much more is part of an offshore challenge such as the Global Solo Challenge. When it comes to ocean yacht […]

American David Linger is the 51st entry in the Global Solo Challenge

July 26, 2022

United Kingdom – 7/26/2022 – by GSC – David Linger from Seattle is the 4th American to sign up for the Global Solo Challenge, the 11th Class40/Open40 in the fleet, which is proving to be a popular choice of boat in the event. Previous entries from the US have been Peter Bourke of Rhode Island, Colin Bastable of Texas, and the youngest entry so far in the GSC, Gardner LaMaurice of Virginia, who is 25 years old. David had been in touch with the organisers for some time and recently took the big leap to buy “Koloa Maoli”, an Owen Clarke Design […]

The youngest entry so far in the Global Solo Challenge is American Gardner LaMaurice, who turns 25 this month

May 19, 2022

United Kingdom – 5/19/2022 – By GSC – Gardner LaMaurice, who will turn 25 this month, is now the youngest entry so far in the Global Solo Challenge 2023-2024. With his entry the young American wants to break the stereotype of sailing only being accessible to rich retired people and hopes to inspire others to follow his example. Gardner was already in the process of preparing his boat to complete a circumnavigation when he discovered the GSC and decided to enter. He believes that the added motivation of an organised event and a framework of regulations to comply with will make his project safer. As organisers we […]

The coast of Mauritania and the threat of piracy during the Global Solo Challenge race

May 16, 2022

United Kingdom – 5/16/2022 – By Sefo – Following winds… a favorable current… the sea helps the skippers move faster… Some sections of the Global Solo Challenge will be pure bliss for its participants. Nice weather, usually sunny with a pleasant temperature, makes life on board a real pleasure. Skippers can spend most of the time above deck and cultivate other interests other than navigation; read, listen to music, write… or simply enjoy the views that the Ocean and Nature hve to offer at any given time. In principle, once boats have put the Canary Islands behind them and the […]

Global Solo Challenge 2023-2024 sailing race now has 45 participants

April 7, 2022

Participants to gain the bragging rights of becoming a member of an elite group of sailors | New York, New York – 4/7/2022 – The Boating Chronicle – These days there is an explosion of sailing races taking place all around the world. However, there is one with a unique format—the Global Solo Challenge (GSC), a single-handed (meaning that there’s only one person on each boat), without assistance, non-stop, around the world sailing event. In principle, the GSC bridges the gap between high-budget, professional events and the very human, yet common, dream of a single-handed circumnavigation. It is designed for […]

Women who marked the history of offshore sailing

March 21, 2022

Global Solo Challange – 3/21/2022 – by Helena De La GandaraIt – It may not be very common to see women accepting – or having the opportunity to accept – challenges such as that of sailing single-handed around the world non-stop, but more and more are following in the footsteps of some brave female sailors who broke all sorts of barriers. Ocean sailing accounts for many great sailors who for one reason or another have earned a place in history. However, it is striking how few female seafarers embark on such great adventures and, in most cases, their little visibility. […]

What is the biggest challenge in a single-handed circumnavigation

November 29, 2021

Cover photo courtesy of Global Solo Challange. … United Kingdom – 11/29/2021 – By Global Solo Challange – Preparing boat and skipper for a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation by the three great capes is no easy task. Many are the challenges during preparation, financial, practical, as well as during the navigation itself. Getting to the start and sailing in the southern ocean are the recurring thoughts of many of our skippers. We asked them what they thought was the biggest challenge. What do you think will be the biggest challenge? Javier Lapresa – Honestly, I think the most difficult thing will […]

Sailboats with foils: the evolution seen by three masters, Sirena, Soldini and Pedote

July 14, 2021

United Kingdom – 7/14/2021 – By Marco Nannini, Global Solo Challange – In this article we tried to consult authoritative voices of sailing in explaining the evolution of sailboats with foils. Max Sirena of Luna Rossa, Giovanni Soldini of Maserati and Giancarlo Pedote of Prysmian Ocean Racing – International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA) class. Note: This article is a translation, we apologize in advance for any mistakes. However, we also wanted to explain before moving on to the actual interviews why there are currently three “currents of thought” in the world of foils for sailboats. First, the purely flying […]

So you want to race around the world?

June 12, 2021

Meet Global Solo Challange participant number 21: Australian Willi Fantom and his live-aboard dog Captain Mistchief … Solo Sailor For The Disabled … Australian Willi Fantom from Hobart is currently circumnavigating Australia promoting his campaign Solo Sailor For The Disabled in the faithful company of his live-aboard dog Captain Mistchief. They have been at sea together for the last three years becoming inseparable. After this charitable tour of Australia Willi will start preparations for the Global Solo Challenge by modifying the boat as required by the regulations and setting off from Western Australia bound for Cape of Good Hope then […]