Dramatic start for Ocean Globe Race >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Providing sailing news for sailors

Punta del Este, Uruguay (March 5, 2024) – Moderate to strong winds for the final leg of the 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race led to drama for the 13 teams taking on the 6,550 nm course to Southhampton, UK

Shortly after race start, a man overboard from Pen Duick VI required a recovery, while Evrika and Triana narrowly avoiding a collision but resulted in Evrika colliding with and spearing a buoy with their bowsprit. Explorer was also to suffer from the big sea, hitting a large port control maker in a stalled tack, sliding along it for cosmetic damage.

Within a couple of hours, it was Maiden who was to take the lead in the fleet but the Royal Yacht Squadron finish line in Cowes remains a long way to go.

Event information – Race rules – Entry list – Tracker

No longer racing:• Swan 51 Godspeed (USA) – retired after Leg 1

The 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race (OGR) is a fully crewed, retro race, in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, marking the 50th Anniversary of the original event. Racing without computers, GPS, and high-tech materials, they navigate with sextants and paper charts. Seven of the fleet are former Whitbread competitors.

Starting in Southampton (UK) on September 10, the OGR is a 27,000-mile sprint around the Globe, divided into four legs that passes south of the three great Capes. The fleet is divided in three classes with stop-overs in Cape Town, South Africa; Auckland, New Zealand; and Punta del Este, Uruguay before returning to Southhampton in April 2024.

2023-24 Ocean Globe Race:FIRST LEG: Start 10 September 2023. 7800 miles. First boats finish 9-21 October 2023.SECOND LEG: Start 5 November 2023. 7250 miles. First boats finish 14-23 December 2023.THIRD LEG: Start 14 January 2024. 6500 miles. First boats finish 9-14 February 2024.FOURTH LEG: Start 5 March. 6550 miles. Finish 1-10 April 2024.