Sailing Solo with Class40 Fuji: Ari Känsäkoski’s boat for the GSC
©Ari Känsäkoski Finnish Skipper Ari Känsäkoski, has a distinct advantage over many sailors who have entered the Global Solo Challenge (GSC), in that he knows his yacht inside out. He has a detailed knowledge of his boat, systems, and equipment which is essential for a successful long distance solo navigation. Ari is a Skipper for […]
Ari Känsäkoski’s Solo Qualifier: Navigating From Cherbourg to Helsinki
The decision concerning the route for the 2,000 nautical mile qualifying sail for the Global Solo Challenge (GSC) lies in the hands of each entrant. However, this choice requires the organiser’s approval. The primary requirements include the stipulation that the journey must take place on the boat they will use for the challenge, be non-stop, […]
Global Solo Challenge Entrant, Ari Känsäkoski: The way forward
©Ari Känsäkoski Sailing is by its very nature, a sport that can and in my view should be ecologically friendly. One trend that I have noticed amongst sailors of all degrees of expertise, is that they want to take the eco-sustainability of their sport and indeed their lifestyle to the next level. One Global Solo […]
Does Kevin Le Poidevin have the most diverse skill set among GSC entrants?
©Kevin Le Poidevin Solo long distance offshore sailing is a discipline that requires a skill set far more varied than would be required for any other form of sailing, particularly when you are intending to circumnavigate the globe solo and non-stop. You cannot rely on specialists like riggers, mechanics, electrical repairers, radar technicians, and the […]
GSC Entrant Peter Bourke: ‘Imagine’ Sailing Around the World
©Peter Bourke When I spoke to American Global Solo Challenge (GSC) entrant Peter Bourke, he told me that he had recently acquired a secondhand Finot-Conq designed Open 40 for the challenge. Built by JMV Industries in France in 2001, this design of boat is predominantly built of carbon composites and has proven to be really […]
Teaching the ropes: how Pavlin Nadvorni wishes to inspire young Bulgarian sailors
©Pavlin Nadvorni If there is one thing that I have learnt in interviewing the entrants of the Global Solo Challenge (GSC), it is that these sailors love and respect the sea. And no more so, than Bulgarian entrant Pavlin Nadvorni, who fell in love with boats, the sea, and sailing at the age of eight […]
Lloyd Davey, twenty years building his own boat in an old mill
©Lloyd Davey Generally, the organisers of the Global Solo Challenge (GSC) prefer that entrants make use of second-hand yachts or boats that they already own. This preference makes the challenge more affordable and egalitarian, but more importantly, it comes from the organisers’ desire to make the whole challenge as environmentally sustainable as possible. This is […]
Is sailor David Linger the ideal candidate for the Global Solo Challenge?
When I first looked at the Global Solo Challenge (GSC) and considered the type of sailor it would attract, I could have been describing American entrant David Linger. David, who is now 60 years old has been a sailing enthusiast as far back as he can remember. Sailing on his Parents’ boat Koloa from a […]
Australian sailor, Henry Rourke, talks about his enthusiasm for the Global Solo Challenge
©Henry Rourke Speaking to Global Solo Challenge (GSC) entrant, Australian, Henry Rourke, 58, you can really feel his excitement. Not only is he excited at the prospect of sailing around the world solo, and non-stop, for the first time, but he is also excited at being involved in the first edition of the GSC, which […]
Global Solo Challenge skipper Ronnie Simpson: “Sailing Saved My Life”
©Ronnie Simpson Racing When an entrant to the Global Solo Challenge (GSC) is announced, the organisers post a profile of the entrant, and one of the questions asked is ‘Do you intend to link this personal challenge with a social message?’ American, Ronnie Simpson’s reply was ‘As a combat-wounded and retired Marine Corps veteran whose […]
