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As preparations for the 2027–2028 Global Solo Challenge continue, we are expanding the international network of professionals and collaborators working with the event. We are currently particularly interested in connecting with sponsorship, commercial partnerships and business development professionals who can leverage their experience, networks and professional relationships to help identify and develop new partnership opportunities for the GSC. The collaboration is flexible and success-based, with commission on commercial partnerships generated, and can be undertaken alongside existing professional commitments, with a focus on particular countries, industries or sectors. We are also open to hearing from professionals with other specialist expertise or ideas for collaborations that could contribute to the continued development of the Global Solo Challenge. Find out more and get in touch: https://globalsolochallenge.com/en/work/ If someone in your network might be a good fit, please share this with them. #GlobalSoloChallenge #GSC2027 #Sponsorship #Partnerships #SportsMarketing #BusinessDevelopment #OffshoreSailing

As preparations for the 2027–2028 Global Solo Challenge continue, we’re beginning to expand the team of volunteers supporting the event. We’re currently welcoming expressions of interest for both remote volunteering and in-person roles in Vigo. Remote opportunities include media research and relations, and helping us organise and catalogue our growing photo and media archive. In Vigo, we’ll need a much larger team during the preparation, departure and return phases of the event, with opportunities ranging from general event and competitor support to race-office activities, safety inspections, media, photography, interviews and arrival/departure operations. The main periods in Vigo will be June–November 2027 and February–April 2028. In-person opportunities are primarily intended for people already based in Vigo and the surrounding area, as we cannot provide travel or accommodation. Whether you have relevant professional experience or simply think you have skills that could make a useful contribution, we’d be pleased to hear from you. Find out more and register your interest: https://globalsolochallenge.com/en/volunteers-en/ Please feel free to share this with anyone who might be interested. #GlobalSoloChallenge #GSC2027 #Volunteers #Sailing #OffshoreSailing #Vigo

We are delighted to announce a new long-term Strategic Partnership between Pindar and the Global Solo Challenge (GSC) — bringing together two organisations with a shared passion for offshore sailing, innovation and creating new opportunities within the sport. As Official Logistics Partner, Pindar will provide GSC competitors with specialist worldwide support for yacht transportation, customs, shipping, equipment logistics and campaign planning before, during and after the event. But this partnership goes much further than logistics. Together, Pindar and the Global Solo Challenge will work to strengthen the event, support its continued international growth and develop initiatives aimed at making offshore sailing more accessible — particularly for young sailors and women looking to progress into short-handed and solo ocean racing. A dedicated GSC Competitor Logistics Programme will also give current and prospective entrants access to Pindar’s global marine logistics expertise throughout their campaigns, allowing sailors to spend less time worrying about logistics and more time preparing for the ocean. Andrew Pindar OBE DL: “The Global Solo Challenge has quickly established itself as one of the most exciting and accessible events in offshore sailing. Marco and his team have created something genuinely special — an event built around sailors, adventure and the

French sailor Sylvain Canet joins with Wild, a Boréal 44.2 aluminium blue-water cruiser, bringing over 50 years of sailing experience.

Italian skipper Marcello Queirolo will sail IAIAI, an Elan 37 that he has methodically adapted for solo sailing; he recently completed his 2,000-mile qualification passage for the Global Solo Challenge.

Belgian sailor Jérôme Delire will compete on MASAÏ, Class40 #109, a Pogo 40S2, he has already completed a circumnavigation whilst cruising on an IMX 38.

 Merediz, the only Spanish entrant in the 2023–2024 Global Solo Challenge. Juan set off from A Coruña on his Class40 Sorolla, a Pogo 40S but a series of technical problems, especially repeated autopilot failures, forced him to turn back after roughly 1,400 miles and officially retire in mid-November and return to Spain. Juan’s first campaign was cut short by lack of sufficient funding making adequate preparation impossible. However, Juan is determined to fulfil a lifelong dream of circumnavigation, and is returning for the next edition and is already an official entrant in the 2027–2028 edition of the Global Solo Challenge.

Finnish skipper Ari Känsäkoski took the start on the Owen Clarke design Class40 ZEROchallenge. Just before Christmas he dismasted in the Roaring Forties north of the Kerguelen islands, more than a thousand two hundred miles from land, putting him in a very delicate situation. He remained cool headed and began making plans to reach the African continent. Following the dismasting he spent 25 days nursing the boat under jury rig and engine, including a mid-ocean refuelling from the Japanese fishing vessel Tomi Maru and one from the Finnlines ferry Finncanopus. Ari eventually reached Durban where he was forced to retire from the event. His incredible journey back to land is a lesson to all who sail and today we’d like to celebrate his ordeal with the Global Solo Challenge “Seamanship” award.

Dafydd Hughes sailed Bendigedig, a Sparkman’s and Stephens 34, the smallest and slowest boat in the fleet that he had rescued from abandonment in a shed and lovingly refitted with his own hands, attracting a large following and inspiring many with his campaign. After more than 13,000 miles and over 100 days at sea, he was forced to divert to Hobart due to the failure of a key component of his autopilot; there he made the difficult decision to retire, rather than restart after the stop. Dafydd felt he had achieved what he had personally set out to do and did not think it was the right thing to do to attempt continuing his circumnavigation. Despite stopping in Hobart many look up to Dafydd for his incredible journey which started years before the start line and we would like to recognise his contribution with the “Inspirational Campaign Award”. 

American Marine veteran Ronnie Simpson sailed the vintage Open 50 Shipyard Brewing. After safely negotiating the Indian and Pacific Oceans and completing more than 70% of the course, his mast came down suddenly in the middle of the night on 12 February 2024 off the coast of Argentina, with a strong storm rapidly approaching. Ronnie spent hours cutting away the broken spar and rigging, which threatened to hole and flood the boat, before deciding to activate his emergency beacon. He was rescued by the bulk carrier Sakizaya Youth just ahead of the storm front, making the extremely painful decision to abandon and scuttle his boat in order to save his life. It can’t be easy to accept such cruel fate after rounding all three great capes. Ronnie has not given up and decided to do it all over again by entering the Global Solo Challenge 2027-2028 for this he was presented in Vigo with the “Perseverance Award”. Foto: @Marta Domínguez.

In seventh place in the GSC 2023-2024, Louis Robein of France with his X-37 Le Souffle de la Mer III. Louis celebrated his 70th birthday at sea. He faced numerous problems with power generation, steering and autopilots but never gave up and showed incredible resilience despite all the difficulties. He was forced to stop in Hobart for essential repairs and set to sea again. When he was still about a thousand miles from Cape Horn he again faced problems with his pilot and was left to steer by hand with his emergency bar in the freezing conditions of the South Pacific. After rounding Cape Horn, exhausted by the ordeal and in very strong winds he ran aground on a beach in Tierra del Fuego. The Argentinian Army had to tow him to Ushuaia. After repairs he once again set off to sea. Louis completed his solo circumnavigation in July 2024 after more than 277 days from his departure, having inspired so many in the process with his constant will to finish his voyage. Foto: @Marta Domínguez.