The leading boats in the Mini Globe Race are starting to bump over that invisible line in the ocean, also known as the equator, and are being welcomed back into the Northern Hemisphere by no other than King Neptune. It’s been a long time since they bumped the other way heading south on their long voyage around the world.
The current leader, Renauld Stitelmann, is 75 miles north of the equator doing a steady 6.4 knots with a decent breeze on the starboard beam. Stitelmann has just over 1,400 miles to go to close the loop on what has been an incredible adventure.
Many critics said that it couldn’t, or shouldn’t be done, but race founder Don McIntyre thought otherwise and came up with the crazy idea of suggesting that you build a plywood 5.80-metre boat in your backyard or garage, and then race it single-handedly around the world. Sounds legit, right?
Many answered the call and 11 intrepid sailors are still in it to win it. Some didn’t make the start, others dropped out for financial or personal reasons, but a fleet of 11 is double the number of boats that The Ocean Race got the last time around. This truly seals the deal that sailing around the world can still be done on an affordable budget, and so far (fingers crossed), done safely.
This last leg of the race started in Recife, Brazil and will end in Antigua closing the circle on the race which started from Antigua on 23 February, 2025, one year and two days ago. By most measures this final leg should be champagne sailing with the wind on the beam for the most part, but it rarely works out that way especially when the doldrums with its chaotic weather still lies ahead.
If I wore a cap I’d doff it to these great sailors who are proving the yachting establishment wrong, and helping prove Don McIntyre right.
Pictures from Jasmine Harrison / Christian Sauer / Jake Ziemkiewicz Sailing / Renaud Stitelmann / Adam Waugh / Ertan Beskardes / Dan Turner- Mini Globe Race posts.
