Starting with a rough exit of the bay of Biscay, testing Golden Globe Race sailors and boats to the limit, with Damien Guillou's (FRA) PRB returning for repairs, Edward Walentynowicz (CAN) pulling the plug on his GGR campaign, Guy deBoer (USA) grounded in Fuerteventura and Mark Sinclair (AUS) mooring his Coconut in Lanzarote for good. Now thirteen sailors battle the doldrums seeking tradewinds and a fast passage south.
One of these is Ireland's Pat Lawless, who continues to show good pace and is described by race control as 'tough as nails'. Kerry's Lawless sailing 'Green Rebel', weathered a knee infection between the Canaries and the doldrums and now nurses a damaged rib and torn shoulder, while fighting in the lead group.
See live tracker below.
Lawless thinks he broke a rib when shoved across the cockpit. “I had an accident; the mainsheet caught me in the shoulder and threw me inside the cockpit, it was four days ago, and I have had a sore rib since. The shoulder must have a torn ligament, but it’s slowly improving.”
Entrants can only call Race Control, not family and friends. Some demoralised GGR sailors called to chat, share their frustrations and trump the isolation after a month alone. A few are questioning why they are there, others if it is even possible to continue with severe lack of family contact.
The entrants, who felt overloaded with public and media attention in the weeks leading to the start, now welcome the weekly safety and media calls as a change in their routine and only chance to chat to the outside world.
One sailor not suffering mentally or physically, and working hard to get back at the front is French favourite Damien Guillou, who has been gaining places ever since he left Les Sables d'Olonne with a 6-day delay after repairing and reinforcing his windvane. He has gone from last to 6th, leading the mid-fleet pack earlier this week, although the doldrums make the ranking change several times a day.
Many wonder if the obvious speed, talent, hard work and determination of the Finisterian sailor that enabled his comeback will be enough to catch-up on Simon and the leaders. Michel Desjoyeaux who won his second victory on the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe, after going back to Les Sables d'Olonne, 200 miles after the start, for repairs and leaving with a 40-hour delay, gave us a hint on twitter earlier this week : "He is doing a "Desjoyeaux', only better! If you don't mind me saying it!"
2022 GGR entrants to date:
1. Abhilash Tomy (43) / India / Rustler 36
2. Arnaud Gaist (50) / France / BARBICAN 33 MKII (long keel version)
3. Damien Guillou (39) / France / Rustler 36
4. Elliott Smith (27) / USA / Gale Force 34
5. Ertan Beskardes (60) / UK / Rustler 36
6. Guy Waites (54) / UK / Tradewind 35
7. Ian Herbert Jones (52) / UK / Tradewind 35
8. Jeremy Bagshaw (59) / South Africa / OE32
9. Kirsten Neuschäfer (39) / South Africa / Cape George 36
10. Michael Guggenberger (44) / Austria / Biscay 36
11. Pat Lawless (66) / Ireland / Saga 36
12. Simon Curwen (63) / UK / Biscay 36
13. Tapio Lehtinen (64) / Finland / Gaia 36 Masthead sloop