It’s been bad news for the Golden Globe sailors as two of the leading boats were rolled and dismasted 40 nM apart in a storm on Friday. Gregor McGuckin and Abhilash Tomy have lost their boats and their dream of successfully competing in and completing this race – which is so tough that it belies the description of being anything to do with sport. Abhilash was injured in his accident and as he is on his way to hospital aboard the French fisheries patrol vessel Osiris one can only hope that he will make a full recovery.
It seems a terrible, sudden and vicious end to a dream and the pair bring to nine, that’s half the fleet, the number of the original skippers who departed from France on July 1, who have for one reason or another had to give up.
I interviewed Abhilash back in late June when the fleet gathered in Falmouth for a pre-prep before a warm-up race to Britanny. I played the recording back thinking of writing it up and then decided to put it online – not because it’s that good – I am not a trained broadcaster and I am sorry that it rambles a bit, but because it shows the hopes and humour of a sailor who has already achieved huge things just to get onto the start line of a race like this.
Back in 1968 the first Golden Globe was called a race for madmen – sailing south, solo, around the great capes fighting fear and all manner of deprivation. Only one man and one boat, finished in 1969 and Robin Knox-Johnstone sailed into the history books at a modest average of around 3 knots. These days we see fast boats with every gizmo on board sailing around weather systems, or skirting onto them to get a bit of lift as they slice off the sea miles knowing it won’t be long before they hit land and being able to talk to loved ones while away. It’s almost inconceivable that anyone would want to return to doing it the slow way, or the long way as one of those early entrants, Bernard Moitessier, described it – refusing to turn north as he entered the southern Atlantic and disappearing into the 40-knot windblown abyss for another circumnavigation in the mountainous seas that rage and roll unchecked in the southern ocean.
Moistessier was doing more than holding down his jerking arm and fist in that French equivalent of our two fingers. He was checking out of life, wife, everything and made his home in the Pacific for decades afterwards while his poetic writing earned him a reputation as a true pilot of the deep range. Back in June the winner Robin Knox-Johnston was getting a warm welcome in Falmouth as the inspiration for most of the entrants to take part in this incredible adventure.
Robin’s Suhaili is one of our most famous boats now, but she was built in India where he was working as a merchant navy officer. Robin’s crew on Suhaili (among others) was the first Indian solo round the world yachtsman Dilip Donde – who is also Abhilash’s shore manager and also an Indian Navy officer. Robin came aboard during my chat with Tomy and with the fast Frenchman Jean-Luc Van Den Heede the conversation became more animated. He arrives on board at eight minutes 45 seconds… if anyone has lasted that long!
Let’s hope everyone else stays safe out there.
Dan Houston