42 sailors have now entered the next Global Solo Challenge which will start from La Coruna in Spain, the first boats setting off in September of next year.
The 42nd entrant, announced this week is Italian Riccardo Tosetto, a yachting professional. He joins solo sailors from the UK, France, Australia, Spain, Belgium, USA, Estonia, Switzerland and Holland.
Jamie Young of the Killary Adventure Centre was the sixth sailor to declare entry in the race. He has sailed 200,000 nautical miles at all latitudes. Signing-up he told the organisers why he entered: “Primarily, because I could participate in my own boat and keep the budget reasonable. I have owned Killary Flyer for over 20 of her 40 years and have full confidence in her to keep us both safe and do well. My first few transAatlantics were in very simple boats – no engine/toilet – just bucket and chuck it/no VHF or other radio – just sextant and dead reckoning with paper charts….forgotten most of it now.”
The event is organised by the UK registered company Marco Nannini LTD, of Harrow, Middlesex, as “single-handed around the world east about on production boats, built prior to 2005, between 32 and 55 feet, non-stop by the three great Capes without assistance.”
Boats will be grouped by performance and set off in successive departures over 11 weeks. “Once at sea, there are no classes. The faster boats will have to try to catch up with the slower boats, the pursuit factor creating competitive interest and a fascinating event for the public and sponsors. The first boat to cross the finish line wins. The performance differential between the boats is taken into account in staggering the departures, eliminating the need to calculate corrected times,” say the organisers.
Riccardo Tosetto
The 42nd entrant, Riccardo Tosetto, will be sailing a Class 40. “From the age of eighteen my passion has become my job. I spend more than eight months of each year at sea on a boat. Solo sailing makes you feel at one with your boat, puts you to the test, you have to overcome every obstacle by putting all possible energy into it.”
