2023 McIntyre Ocean Globe Prize giving

Heather Thomas and her all-women Maiden crew have been crowned the 2023 McIntyre Ocean Globe champions during a lavish mid-summer day poolside prize-giving party, hosted by and at Marco Trombetti’s Translated villa headquarters in Rome.

The party, attended by VIPs from around the world and some 200 OGR crew members flying in from 13 of the yachts to have completed the gruelling 27,000 mile round the world yacht race around Cape Horn, celebrated long into the night. Thomas and her crew, the first all women team to win a crewed global race, were among the first to jump into the pool to celebrate.

Marco Trombetti, who raced aboard his company-sponsored Swan 65 yacht Translated 9 (previously ADC Accutrac in the 1977 Whitbread race skippered by the first female skipper Clare Francis) said of this amateur inspired race marking the 50th anniversary of the first Whitbread Round Race back in 1973:

“This race has had a marked effect on all of us. It has certainly changed me.  We won two legs … and also broke our boat … twice! But we persevered to complete the course. It has all been an extraordinary life-changing experience!”

MARCO TROMBETTI, LEG 1 & 3 CO-SKIPPER OF TRANSLATED 9 & CO-FOUNDER/CHAIRMAN AT TRANSLATED

Heather Thomas was full of praise, not only for her Maiden crew who came from all walks of life and 12 nationalities, but for Tracy Edwards whose drive and vision masterminded a repeat of her own all women adventure in the same yacht during the 1989/90 Whitbread.

“I’m so proud of this crew and what we have achieved. There is such a strong bond between us. We’ve achieved our goal of showing what women can do, raising several £100,000s for Tracy’s  ‘Maiden Factor’ charity campaign to raise awareness about the millions of girls worldwide who are unable to access an education.”

HEATHER THOMAS, SKIPPER OF MAIDEN

Jussi Paavoseppä skipper of the Swan 651 Spirit of Helsinki who was first to dive into the pool fully clothed enroute to picking up his prize for finishing 1st overall within  Sayula Class on the final leg from Punta del Este Uruguay back to Cowes. He commented on the huge camaraderie that developed between crews in a retro race where navigation was performed with a sextant and weather information could only be gained via HF radio.

“I’ve never known a race where rival crews were so helpful to each other, passing on weather and other information to each other.”

JUSSI PAAVOSEPPÄ, SPIRIT OF HELSINKI

Other awards included the Sir Peter Blake Sailor of the OGR trophy which went to French sailor Bertrand Delhom aboard Neptune, a Parkinson’s sufferer who endured considerable personal-sacrifice to complete the circumnavigation and highlight the disease and determination needed to minimising its life changing effects.

The 81 crewmembers who completed the full circumnavigation were each awarded a Gold plaque and membership to one of the most exclusive clubs -  the International Association of Cape Horners.

Marie Tabarly and her crew, who gained line honours in the 73ft maxi yacht Pen Duick VI built for her father Eric Tabarly to compete in the first Whitbread race was awarded a Cape Horners flag for leading the race around Cape Horn, along with Jussi Paavoseppä and the crew of Spirit of Helsinki who were first in the Sayula Class, and Jean d’Arthuys and his crew on Triana who led the Adventure class around the Cape.

Don McIntyre, the OGR Race Director, congratulated all crews for completing the race safely and successfully. He also announced that plans are well advanced for a second Ocean Globe Race in 2027 and a third in 2031. Having commissioned a series of magnificent replicas of the first 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race trophy, He said:

“These are so special, I’ve ordered enough to cover the next four events!  Interest in the 2027 race is very high.  Many people have a strong desire to race around the world and this McIntyre OGR has proved that you don’t need multi-million dollar budgets to do so. It looks like we will have more boats in the next race than the 14 starters for the 2023/4 event – including some who enjoyed themselves so much this time round, that they want to do it all again.”

DON MCINTYRE, OGR RACE DIRECTOR

The Nautor Swan 57 EXPLORER which was first yacht across the Royal Yacht Squadron Cowes start line on September 10th 2023 and last across the same finish line on May 13 2024 is the first confirmed entry for the 2027 OGR. With two paying crew already signed on for this next grand adventure, there are still seven crew places available for adventurous sailors.

2023/4 Ocean Globe Race Timeline
Early Stages and Issues
Godspeed:

Entered by American war vet Taylor Grieger for adventure therapy.
Early trouble: crew member hospitalized after a sky-diving accident.
Last to leave Solent, later diverted to Cascais for boom repair.
Retired after arriving in Cape Town three days late for Leg 2 start.
Notable Events by Day
Day 8: Stéphane Raguenes (Triana) medevaced due to leg injuries.
Day 16: Outlaw crew rescues a drifting fisherman off Dakar, leading to a Code Orange alert and coordination with Senegal/Dakar MRCC.
Day 18: Pen Duick VI crosses the Equator first, leading by 337 miles.
Day 40: Spirit of Helsinki finishes Leg 1 to Cape Town first; Pen Duick VI follows 9 hours later.
Day 41: Translated 9 arrives in 60-knot winds, takes first place on handicap.
Day 42: Maiden battles 45-knot headwinds, finishes 4th on elapsed time.
November 5: Start of Leg 2 from Cape Town to Auckland.

Sterna delayed, Explorer arrives late, Godspeed still far from Cape Town.

Leg 2 Highlights
Day 2: Neptune heads to Port Elizabeth for steering repairs.
Day 7: Sterna returns to Mossel Bay for rudder repairs.
Day 10: Explorer retires after gear damage and receiving outside assistance.
Day 37: Translated 9 finishes first in Auckland, followed by Pen Duick VI and Spirit of New Zealand.
Day 39: Maiden finishes 4th, accompanied by historic yachts.

Leg 3 to Punta del Este
January 14, 2024: 13 yachts restart, Explorer joins late.
Day 21: Pen Duick VI hit by rogue wave, no injuries.
Day 23: Pen Duick VI rounds Cape Horn first, Translated 9 follows.
Day 25: Maiden, Spirit of Helsinki, and Neptune make Cape Horn passage.
Day 30: Galiana WithSecure reports severe weather damage, Explorer loses steering.
Day 31: White Shadow secures mast after forestay breaks.
Day 33: Spirit of Helsinki finishes 43 minutes ahead of Maiden.
Day 34: Triana takes handicap honours for Leg 3.
Day 36: L’Esprit d’Equipe, Galiana WithSecure, and Outlaw finish.
Day 31: Sterna and Explorer complete Leg 3; Translated 9 rejoins for Leg 4.

Leg 4 to Cowes
March 9, 2024: Start of Leg 4.

Triana and Evrika collision, Evrika suffers damage.
Day 15: Explorer heads to Brazilian port for repairs.
Day 27: Translated 9 heads to Madeira after a broach.
Day 38: Pen Duick VI crosses finish line first, overall line honours.
Day 40: L’Esprit d’Equipe secures 2nd place on elapsed time.
Day 41: Spirit of Helsinki takes 3rd place on elapsed time.
Day 42: Neptune returns, fulfilling Bertrand Delhom's dream.
Day 46: Maiden recreates history with a parade in Southampton Water.
Day 49: Triana finishes, 2 days after Maiden’s deadline for overall win; Maiden crew welcomes them.