Final countdown to Falmouth celebrations and start in Les Sables d'Olonne

click on IMAGES to download hi-res files

Irish skipper Gregor McGuckin sailing aboard his Biscay 36 ketch now renamed HANLEY ENERGY ENDURANCE

First to fly the GGR flag in Falmouth - British skipper Ertan Beskardes' Rustler 36 LAZY OTTER safely in Falmouth Haven Marina after a 2,500 mile trial sail from Sardinia

Australian skipper Mark Sinclair, aboard his Lello 34 yacht COCONUT out of Plymouth

Falmouth waterfront and old harbour will host the Suhaili 50 Falmouth Parade of Sail between June 11-14 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's departure from the port at the start of the 1968 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race.

Route for the  Suhaili 50 Falmouth Parade of Sail around Falmouth Harbour led by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston on Thursday June 14 2018

NEW... Latest chart of the Golden Globe Race course around the world.

NEW - Latest GGR poster

 Igor Zaretskiy (Russia) battling towards Falmouth aboard his Endurance 35 Esmeralda for the Suhaili 50 Falmouth Parade of Sail between 11-14th June.

• Less than a month to the Race start, and a week to the Suhaili 50 Falmouth Parade of Sail
• Entries: 18 sailors from 13 countries – France 4, Britain 2, Australia 2, and one each from Estonia, Finland, Ireland, India, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Palestine, Russia and USA
• Falmouth Parade of sail celebrations taking shape. Cruising Association flotillas to escort Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Suhaili into Falmouth and Les Sables d’Olonne. Lively Lady pulls out of Falmouth celebrations
• Les Sable d’Olonne GGR Race Village programme announced

Dateline June 5 2018 - Les Sables d’Olonne, France

With less than month to the start of the Golden Globe Race from Les Sables d’Olonne on July 1st, skippers are working feverishly to complete their preparations ready to take part in the Suhaili 50 Falmouth Parade of Sail celebrations between 11-14th June to mark the 50th anniversary of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s departure from the port to start the original GGR back in 1968

Best news – three skippers, Mark Slats (Ned) Gregor McGuckin (Ire) and Igor Zaretskiy (Rus) have won full sponsorship last week. Slats’ Rustler 36 has been renamed Ohpen Maverick following support from Ophen, builders of the world’s first cloud based core banking engine. McGuckin’s Biscay 36 yacht is another to have undergone a colour change, this time to green and been renamed Hanley Energy Endurance. Hanley Energy is a global specialist in the design, source, supply, install and commission of critical power, energy management and IT infrastructure solutions. Igor Zaretskiy, currently sailing his Endurance 35 Esmeralda from Alicante directly to Falmouth, has won support from The Russian paper and packaging group Double V
Read More...

Suhaili 50 Falmouth Parade of Sail       June 11 – 14

Click here for full diary of events

GGR Programme in Les Sables d’Olonne June 16 – July 1st

The GGR Race Village will open each day from 10:00am to 8:00pm and until 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays

The GGR Village in Les Sables d'Olonne  open from June 16 - July 1

Visitors will find the GGR yachts and skippers on the Vendée Globe pontoons, and admire the historic solo yachts – Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s Suhaili, Bernard Moitessier’s Joshua and Sir Francis Chichester’s Gipsy Moth IV, together with Eric Tabarly’s Pen Duick III and Pen Duick VI. There is something for all ages: Learn to navigate with the stars and instruments of the past, attend conferences, interviews and demonstrations, participate in workshops and boat baptisms, and the conviviality of the Bar Guinguette during evening concerts
The Race Village is open to the public from June 16 to 30, and is free of charge. Activities are planned each day and entertainment specifically for children will take place on:
Wednesdays 10:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 17:00
Saturday 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:30 to 17:30
Sundays 16:00 to 17:00

Click here for full programme of events

Live TV converage at start and free satellite feed to rest of the world.

France 3, Chaine Team, TV Vendée, Tébésud, Tébéo, and TVR will carry live coverage of the start. Events within the Race Village and the start will also be available in English on the GGR Facebook page..

The live feed is also available free to any TV station in the world. Click Here for details

Sponsorship

The GGR welcomes three new supporting sponsors. DHL Express, Matmut, Mercedes SAGA, GAC Pindar, MSOS, Boatshed.com and Marina Rubicon, which join Les Sables d’Olonne Agglomération, Presenting sponsor McIntyre Adventure, official timekeeper RALF TECH watches, Hydrovane self steering Plastimo and PPL Media

Other sponsors supporting individual entries include DHL Express, PRB, Matmut, Fugro, Altia, Métier Intérim, Ophen, Hanley Energy, and Double V 

***The Race has still to secure a headline sponsor for the 2018 GGR which is expected to attract up to 1m visitors to Les Sables d'Olonne and more than 120m Euros of TV and media coverage.***

For a sponsorship pack, contact Barry Pickthall: barry@goldengloberace.com +44(0)7768 395719

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Details of skippers and their yachts

Click Here to view skipper profiles and pictures.

Click Here to download the Boat Stats 

Click Here to download Skipper stats 

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Press Registration

To register for regular press updates on on the 2018 Golden Globe Race Click Here

To view  lightbox of copyright reserved historic solo sailing pioneers, Click Here 

To access the high res images you must first register with PPL Media Click here

Please allow 24 hours for accreditation to be confirmed

For further information contact: Barry Pickthall - GGR Media Coordinator 

barry@goldengloberace.com +44 (0)7768 395719

www.goldengloberace.com