Mini Globe Race, who are the 12 “crazies” going around the world on 5.80-meter minibars

The second leg of the “Globe 580 Transat,” a 3,000-mile solo transatlantic from Lanzarote to Antigua in the “essential” style that is raced aboard the tiny, self-built Globe Class 580 one-designs (the first leg had started in Lagos to make its way to the Canary Islands), kicks off on Jan. 11. The race is valid as a qualifying race for the “McIntyre Mini Globe Race” (MGR) devised by adventurer Don McIntyre, a 28,000-mile solo round-the-world voyage always aboard Globe Class 580s starting February 23, 2025. We were in Lanzarote and met in person the 12 “madmen” embarking on the adventure of a lifetime.

Toward the Mini Globe Race

Docks in turmoil in Lanzarote’s Marina Rubicón (Canary Islands) from where the second leg of the “Globe 580 Transat,” a solo transatlantic race organized by Australian adventurer and explorer Don McIntyre valid as. An extreme challenge, aimed at redefining the concept of ocean racing in a “low budget” key and all dedicated to the new Globe Class 580, a mini cabin cruiser with an original design of just 5.80 meters that can be made of marine plywood with DIY in the backyard.

There are 12 solo skippers and ready for anything

Here is the list of 12 solo skippers ready to depart from Lanzarote: Adam Waugh on “Little Wren,” Keri Harris on “Origami,” Pilar Pasanau on “Peter Punk,” Niels Kamphuis on “Biggest Monkey,” Christian Sauer on “Argo,” Daniel Turner on “Immortal Game.” Dan Turk on “Little Bea,” Renaud Stitelmann on “Capucinette,” Jakub Ziemkiewicz on “Bibi,” John Blenkinsop on “Delja100” and his father Mike Blenkinsop on “Delja99,” and finally Jasmine Harrison on “Numbatou.”

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They are skippers from 9 countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Men and women of all ages and with different sailing backgrounds, all, however, united by a passion for that essential, extreme, low-budget sailing proposed by Don McIntyre that harkens back to the sailing of the past, in the wake of great pioneers, such as John Guzzwell and his legendary Trekka, a wooden yawl just 6 meters long.

What we saw in Lanzarote

We were present in Lanzarote and had a chance to chat with Don McIntyre and some of the competitors. For them, it is the adventure of a lifetime, and all but one of them plan to travel around the world in the next half year.

Competitors and boats go through a series of important exams for both safety and survival and first aid as well as seamanship skills through qualifying miles to be covered, the boats, Don McIntyre reveals, “are extremely solidly built and in case of difficulties are definitely better than any raft, the budget to participate in the whole event is 80 100,000€ – and self-building the boat costs more or less 45,000€. The spirit of the competition is to enable all sailors and not just professionals to Take part in such an event and accomplish a feat “.

Continues Don, “We have entries from more than 37 countries joining in the various stages of the regatta, and we have reached the critical mass to have an important future as a class.“.

Jasmine Harrison, the youngest girl in the fleet, 25 years old and on her first ocean experience, confirmed to us her willingness to make the entire round-the-world journey of the Globe Mini Race.“How was the first leg from Lagos to Lanzarote?” we ask her. ” Tough, cross seas and predominantly head wind, I hope with the trade winds it will be better…. Follow me and cheer for me.” Yes because the competitors will have no technological limitations (except for weather forecasts) and their content will be shared both by the organization and by the sailors themselves via their social media.

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There are 3,000 miles in the Atlantic to cover

As we told you, there are 12 skippers lined up at the start of this second leg of a course that started in Lagos, Portugal, last Dec. 28. In less than 10 days, the fleet has covered the approximately 600 miles before landing in Lanzarote. And now after a few days of rest, but also checking and testing, they are preparing for the big Atlantic leap of more than 3,000 miles to the Caribbean island of Antigua.

Navigating with your head to the Mini Globe Race of 2025

As a reminder, this “Globe 580 Transat” is valid as a qualifying race for the “McIntyre Mini Globe Race” (MGR), a 28,000-mile solo round-the-world voyage again aboard Globe Class 580s starting on February 23, 2025. Many of those participating in the Transat actually want to continue their journey by participating in the round-the-world race, building on their Atlantic crossing experience.

We at the Sailing Newspaper will of course follow with news and updates both this “Globe 580 Transat” and the upcoming “McIntyre Mini Globe Race.” Follow us and good wind to all these brave skippers and their original “minimalist revolution”.