Global Solo Challenge – Home

Today at around 21:00 UTC, Riccardo Tosetto on board Obportus 3 rounded the Cape of Good Hope. It’s a significant achievement for the Italian skipper who reports being satisfied with how he has managed the navigation in these first 38 days at sea. Now, he is preparing to face future challenges, heading towards the Indian Ocean.

Alessandro Tosetti, sailing on Aspra, knew quite well he was headed for a patch of light winds and decided that rather than try to sail around the little wind hole that was coming his way, he’d wait out the passage of the ridge of high pressure before regaining speed on course whilst attending to some crucial maintenance tasks. His genset has stopped working and the problem seems to be with the fuel pump. This is a major concern as despite having some backup means of generating at least part of the power, the onboard generator is Aspra’s primary and most efficient way to generate electricity. The other task relating to the mainsail halyard would require climbing the mast yet, despite the light wind conditions, the ocean swell makes the task unnecessarily dangerous and has been postponed. For the time being Alessandro has run a new dyneema halyard in place of the topping lift. Hence explained the reasons for the slow progress and odd route of lately. Aspra has is now moving along in light winds, due to continue backing and strengthening allowing Alessandro to resume his desire course towards Cape of Good Hope.

One in one out. After a 13-day-long stopover in Cape Town Edouard De Keyser on his SolarWind has left his temporary home. He had been ready for a few days but opted to wait for a favourable weather window rather then head out in strong south-easterly winds. The “Southeaster” can blow strong and for many days under Table Mountain and patience is key. Finnish skipper Ari Kansakoski, who arrived during the night of the 5th of December was in fact forced to wait out for better conditions in Granger Bay on the approach to port before moving to the V&A Waterfront where Edouard had also found mooring during his repairs. It is therefore one in one (temporarily) out for the GSC. Edouard can resume his circumnavigation and will round Cape of Good Hope and Cape Agulhas soon, ticking of the first of three great Capes and officially entering the waters of the Indian Ocean.

Today, around 6:00 AM UTC, David Linger aboard Koloa Maoli crossed the 0° longitude. The American skipper seems to have found favorable winds and is achieving excellent speeds. He reached this milestone after 38 days of sailing.

Ari Kansakoski arrived in the hours of darkness into the famously “windy” Cape Town, often battered by strong and gusty southeasterlies. He opted to shelter in Granger Bay where he was met by many people to assist him to moor safely. Ari will then move to the V&A Waterfront, to clear immigration and customs, near where Edouard de Keyser has been stationed and still is, waiting for a weather window to leave. Ari and ZEROchallenge are well but certainly tested by a difficult night.