The GGR will be run under the auspices of the Royal Nomuka Yacht Club based in Tonga, with the Royal Western Yacht Cub officiating at the start and finish in Plymouth.
His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Tupouto'a Ulukalala of Tonga is Patron of the Race.
Safety
The yachts will be tracked 24/7 by satellite, but competitors will not be able to interrogate this information unless an emergency arises and they break open containing a GPS and satellite phone. Doing this however, has consequences. By breaking the seal, competitors will be deemed to have retired from the Golden Globe Race, and instead will be relegated to the Gipsy Moth Class as if they had made a stop.
Provisional entry.
For these sailors, this marks the initial stage towards completing all the entry requirements, which include gaining further sailing experience and preparing their boat to meet all the qualifications. Only when these hoops have been jumped will the provisional entrant become an official entry in the Race. Only just prior to the start when final scrutineering and certification has been completed, will the sailor and boat together become an official competitor. Then and only then are they absolutely assured of starting in the Golden Globe Race.
Should any sailor miss a deadline prior to this, they may be relegated to the Golden Globe Race Wait list and the first Qualified Wait listed sailor will move into that vacated entry position.
Wait list
Coverage for the Golden Globe Race has been massive, yet each day more sailors are finding out about this Real Solo Race around the world. Some cannot sleep! The pull is irresistible. What can they do? A dream is born and now the entry list is nearly full. For those with passion and commitment to compete, the path is clear. They must join the WAIT LIST. There will only be a maximum of 15 on this list. It is the last chance. The organisers expect some of the current entries will not make it to the start line. That is the way with history for any great endeavour, but when one drops out, this gives a chance for another to join.
In addition, three of the five Special Invitations have yet to be offered. These go to deserving sailors, and those still hanging in on the wait list will be remembered. We expect to see a fleet of 30 yachts set out from Plymouth on June 30 2018.