Ocean Globe Race: 30 days until the starting gun

As 14 teams sail their yachts toward MDL's Ocean Village Marina in Southampton, it's time to step back 50 years! Dust off those denim flares, buckle up your platforms and get those cassette players rocking. The Ocean Globe Race is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic Whitbread Race the best way possible, by sailing around the world like it's 1973. Get ready to follow the adventure. 

At 13:00hr, 10th September, the yachts will set sail from the Royal Yacht Squadron start line, Cowes, UK to circumnavigate the globe. The Ocean Globe Race is like no other as it's a race in keeping with the spirit of the original Whitbread races. 'Ordinary' sailors compete with sextants and paper charts, but without phenomenal budgets, foils and computers. Amateurs young and old are chasing dreams.

A return to slower times without satellites, non-GPS days with ordinary people sailing classic yachts on life defining adventures around Cape Horn. A simple display of what courage, passion and the human spirit can achieve.

The Race

Fourteen yachts, hailing from eight different countries, including seven former Whitbread yachts, have accepted the challenge with 22 nations represented. They'll sail on production yachts, or ex-Whitbread yachts, split into three classes. Adventure Class 46-55ft, Sayula Class 56-65ft and Flyer Class, comprising ex-Whitbread yachts from the first three editions.

Split into four legs and sailing around the three great Capes, Africa's Cape of Good Hope, Australia's Cape Leeuwin, and South America's notorious Cape Horn, it's an epic challenge.    

Leg 1: September 10th – UK to Cape Town, South Africa.

Leg 2: November 5th – Cape Town to Auckland.

Leg 3: January 14th – Auckland to Punta Del Este

Leg 4: March 5th – Punta Del Este to UK

Finish: April 5th – 15th