The Whitbread myth returns: will the “vintage” crewed world tour really be for everyone?

A reissue of the legendary Whitbread for its 50th anniversary? Who could have organized it if not the volcanic Don Mcintyre already organizer of the “vintage” solo world tour that much discussed, the Golden Globe.

Well yes, the good Don is back with one of his ideas, to remake the round-the-world crewed race, in stages, respecting the standards of the first edition in 1973, and it will be called the Ocean Globe Race. Scheduled to depart in 2023 from a European port, stops will be announced by the end of 2020 but there will be pit stops in South Africa, Australia or New Zealand and South America before returning to Europe.

What about the boats? From 47 to 68 feet, designed before 1988 with the first model to have gone into the water no later than that year, the only exception may be made for the Flyer Class, that of the larger boats . Maximum number of entries 30 boats. Among the boats already approved are several Swans from that era: the 46, 47, 48, 51, 53, 55.

Crews must have at least one member who has covered at least 25,000 miles (it is not specified in what type of sailing or on what boat), at least 70 percent of the crew must have completed 1,500 miles of ocean sailing, all together on the boat in which they will tackle the race. All crew members must have individually completed at least 1,500 miles of ocean sailing (not specified in what type of sailing or on what boat) and taken first aid/survival courses.

Authorized onboard equipment includes: desalinizers, refrigeration, basic non-interfaced electronic instruments for sailing, HF Weather Fax, HF radio, basic non-GPS radar, Marine HF radar, SSB radio, basic HF SSB, non-GPS digital cameras, electric clocks, bow furling furler. The famous amateur HAM radios that were so controversial at the Golden Globe are banned. More details will be provided soon. All the RULES HERE

THE WHITBREAD

Known as Whitbread Round the World Race, the first edition was held in 1973 and saw the surprise victory of Ramon Carlin’s Sayula II (Read HERE). It retained that name until 2002, then became Volvo Ocean Race, now The Ocean Race in which only professional sailors participate. Three Italian boats, Giorgio Falk’s Giua, which finished fifth, Doi Malingri’s Cserb eighth, and Erik Pascoli’s Tauranga tenth, out of 19 starters, participated in the first edition in 1973. In the regatta that made famous a sailing legend like Sir Peter Blake, who won it with Steinlager 2 in the 89-90 edition, there were numerous Italian challenges. The last one, however, was back in 93-94 with Guido Maisto’s Brooksfield. No tricolor boat has ever won the regatta, and to date the best result remains that of Falk in the debut edition.

A REGATTA FOR EVERYONE?

Is it around the world for everyone? In our opinion, no. The criteria for crew selection, although not thoroughly spelled out in the regatta rules, seem to rule out amateur sailing but rather lean toward semi-professionalism, with at least one top professional on board. Sailed crews in short, who still have the will to fight, with boats that, although old, are nothing like the Golden Globe experiment done by Macintyre himself and guarantee greater safety.

www.oceangloberace.com